Downton Abbey's Jim Carter on Saying Goodbye to Mr. Carson Report by Mccallumj. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
00:00Hello, there we go. Nice to see you again. Oh, nice to see you. How are you? That was very gentlemanly, obviously. Well, she's a lady and I'm merely a butler. You know, I know my place. Well, I would like to apologise to you because I did make an effort, but I was having my photographs taken and I got caught in the downhill. Now, the only shame about this is that we can't swing the camera onto you. It's fine. People will see it on social media. I will be posting pictures like this. Oh, fine. Oh, good. Okay. You look amazing. I see you've stayed dry.
00:29I see dry. Yes, I asked the rain to stop and it did, of course. Yeah. Thank heavens. Yeah. I feel like for so many Downton fans, your character holds such a special place in your heart. I mean, it's not Downton without you. So, how are you feeling right now about letting go and we're here at the grand finale? It's really emotional.
00:48Well, it'll be emotional later when we've seen the film with a full audience because I've only seen it with two or three people on a Wednesday afternoon in the darkroom, which is no way to watch it.
00:57You know, people go and see it at the cinema. You know, see it with other people. And I'm looking forward to that because I think you told us you laughed and you cried and I want to feel all that.
01:07And then I should probably feel emotional then. I'm excited to see it, you know, and to be here with all the gang all dressed up, you know, yeah.
01:15I think Lady Sybil's next door. No, Lady Edith, and she's going to sing a song, I think.
01:20Really?
01:21Well, the way she's holding the microphone.
01:22Would you join in?
01:23No.
01:26But listen, what are the things that you'll take from this character that will live on within you? What are the traits? Because I do love him.
01:32Oh, that's nice.
01:33What do I really do?
01:34Oh, no.
01:35Well, I don't know. I tend to sort of take the character off with the costume, you know, really.
01:39But, you know, I empathised with his sense of decency.
01:45And although he was kind of rather severe, there was a warm heart underneath there.
01:51Mrs. Hughes can find it. She can unlock his heart.
01:56He's a kind man. He believes in tradition and politeness.
02:00And so, yeah, that, I think, is a lesson that we all need at the moment.
02:05He's got a big heart. And obviously, Downton's been such a massive heart of your career.
02:09I mean, I know that's such a loaded question, but what does it mean to you?
02:13Well, it's a massive gift. It's a wonderful gift.
02:16You know, I mean, I was, apart from Maggie, I was one of the older characters.
02:21In fact, there's an actor friend of mine, shortly after being cast, and he said,
02:25Oh, you swine, you've got the only old man's part in the film.
02:28Old man. Excuse me.
02:32I was furious.
02:33So, yeah, to give that amount of pleasure all over the world.
02:39I mean, I bumped into Chinese tourists in Cambodia who recognised me
02:43in a fish and chip shop in South Island, New Zealand.
02:47It's weird. That's not normal.
02:49It is, because you're an icon.
02:52Just finally, you mentioned Maggie, so I have to ask.
02:55I know it's emotional, but what are your memories of working with her?
02:58Because I do feel like she had some of the best lines in the show.
03:01Well, she had the best lines in the show, and boy, did she know how to deliver them.
03:04I mean, Julian Fellows wrote very well for her, didn't she?
03:06But boy, boy, she could knock them out of the park.
03:09And, you know, Maggie was the leader of the acting company,
03:11because she was a great actress, the head of the profession.
03:15And Violet was the head of the Crawley family,
03:19so we miss her on both counts.
03:21And the fictional Violet died in the second film,
03:25and bless her dear Maggie died before this film's been released.
03:29So, you know, her presence is everywhere, though,
03:32and we feel it in the film, and we all miss her.
03:34Well, listen, I hope you enjoy it tonight.
03:36I hope it's not too emotional, and I hope you stay dry.
03:38Oh, yeah, you'll stay dry.
03:39And if you see me coming out crying, you know it's worked.
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