- 4 months ago
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale World Premiere in London Report by Mccallumj. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00After 15 years, six glorious TV seasons and three films, Downton Abbey is coming to a close.
00:20So tonight we're here on the red carpet to say cheerio to the cast at the grand finale.
00:30I can't believe you guys have enjoyed that, I'm so sorry.
00:42Well the magic of Downton Abbey is still at the air, I mean how do you feel for being here right now as you're about to premiere the grand finale?
00:48I'm excited, I can't wait to see the film with an audience, it's such a joy, you know, pure escapism and yeah it'll be fun to see that with an audience.
00:59What is the magic of Downton, what do you think it is that people just resonate with this?
01:04I think it's like characters that everyone can relate to, it's a great gang of, you know, someone for everyone.
01:12But yeah, it's another world to step into and I think that's what people are.
01:19And obviously Downton Abbey is going to live in the character of Parks forever and also fans, but for you what has it meant to you?
01:26It's been like a real education for me, it was such an early job in my career and getting to work with this team and these actors, it's been like the best kind of training that you could have and everyone has become a lifelong friend.
01:45It feels very great.
01:46I love that, where you look sensitive.
01:48Thank you so much.
01:49Happy to meet you.
01:50Happy to meet you.
01:51How special is it to be here, you're about to showcase the grand finale, how are you feeling?
02:00It's magic.
02:01It's amazing.
02:02It always feels really surreal every time we get to, you know, present the film to the public because it's so grand.
02:10You realise the show is just like, you're reconnected to the fact the show just reaches so far and it's ginormous.
02:18And actually when you're working, you know, we're pals and we're friends and behind camera we get on, so it feels very local.
02:25And then, you know, we come to this and it's quite overwhelming.
02:31And what do you think it is that's the secret magic to Downton and why fans want to wait us all of it?
02:36I remember early on when I watched it, before I was in it, that it felt surprisingly scandalous considering the context.
02:44You start the first episode in the scandal and affair and murder and I think he just has an amazing way of writing.
02:51Very oppressive, British, upper-class context with a real life underneath it and surprise and intrigue.
03:01Yeah, and he's very surprising as a writer.
03:04I think he'll go really far, Julian, I think he's going to do really well.
03:08That up-and-coming writer?
03:09Yeah, yeah, yeah.
03:10I think you'll do well, no, I'm joking.
03:12Lovely to see you.
03:13Thank you so much for stopping by.
03:14Yeah, thank you.
03:15Thanks a lot.
03:16Hello.
03:17How are you?
03:18You look amazing.
03:19Thank you so much.
03:20It's very Noel Coward.
03:21Well, that was the idea, yeah.
03:22By the way, I loved you as Noel Coward.
03:23Thank you, that's so kind.
03:24And I loved Noel, and I just loved the fact that they had Lady Mary's back.
03:29I was like, this is an alliance that is still going to, you know, if this still happens in 2025, the girls in the gates, do you know what I mean?
03:40Exactly, yeah.
03:41I think Simon, the director, really wanted the artist to kind of be part of saving Downton.
03:46And, yeah, it's quite rousing and, yeah, it's a nice, it's a nice touch.
03:51And what an amazing character to play.
03:53I mean, he's got a theatre named Downton nearby.
03:55It's around the corner.
03:56Yeah, literally legend.
03:58But also just so much swag, so much swag.
04:01How fun is it?
04:02Extraordinary.
04:03I mean, I had so much help by, you know, the costume department were amazing.
04:06But he's the quintessence of a sort of Britishness that you don't really see very often now.
04:12And I'm trying desperately to evoke now.
04:14So, yeah, it was quite surreal.
04:17But he became a sort of friend of mine in the process of preparing for the film.
04:20And, yeah, I have so much love for Noel and for Downton, of course.
04:23You literally are the epitome.
04:25Like, you are.
04:26You look amazing.
04:27What was it like stepping into the world of Downton as well?
04:30You know, it went through phases.
04:31It was like daunting, terrifying, and then incredibly, um,
04:35almost easy because everyone was just so welcoming and inclusive.
04:39And I had amazing people helping me learn the piano and, as I said, the costume.
04:43So, you know, it's a whole team.
04:45You really feel that.
04:46So, in the end, it was smooth and very rewarding, you know.
04:50Well, you were amazing in this.
04:51I absolutely loved it.
04:52Thank you so much.
04:53That's very kind.
04:54Nice to see you.
04:56Hey.
04:57Hello.
04:58How are you doing?
04:59I would like to apologise for my hair.
05:00I was having my pictures taken and I got caught.
05:02You got caught in the rain.
05:03So, I promise that I have actually made an effort.
05:05I think it looks great.
05:06Listen, I can't comment on anyone's hair.
05:08I think you look fantastic.
05:09I'm not really sure a wet look works for Downton, but here we are.
05:12Yeah.
05:13Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:14Here we are.
05:15Exactly.
05:16Good.
05:17Listen, this is so exciting.
05:18Despite the rain, it's such a special evening.
05:20How are you feeling about getting to show the film the grand finale with everyone?
05:25It's amazing.
05:26I mean, every time we get together, it feels like a gift.
05:29And it's the gift that keeps on giving.
05:31We have known each other for a long time now.
05:33So, there's nostalgia.
05:36There's excitement to share it with everyone.
05:40We've all put a lot into it.
05:42But the closure, I think, will come along in a week or two when all this mayhem is over.
05:48And we'll look back on it with pride and sadness and exciting.
05:52But I'm going to mainly focus on the gratitude to have been a part of it.
05:56I came late.
05:57I was a fan.
05:59But they welcomed me with open arms and I'm so happy to have been a part of it.
06:05What do you think it is, the magic of downtown?
06:07Why do man show a club that's what awaits you?
06:10Yeah, it's interesting.
06:11I think it's the comfort.
06:12I think it provides a huge amount of escapism for multi-generations.
06:17You know, in a world where there's a lot of scary things going on.
06:22You can go to downtown.
06:23It feels like it's been there forever.
06:25And see the characters that you love being funny or being put through something.
06:31And I think you trust, ultimately, that they're going to be all right
06:34and that they're going to rely on each other as a family.
06:37There's that kind of self-reliance on family, which is lovely and comforting.
06:43I love that.
06:44Yeah, I'm just very proud of it and to have been a part of it.
06:47That should be a lovely note to end on.
06:49Thank you so much.
06:50It's a good to see you.
06:51Thank you very much.
06:52You too.
06:59Hello, you two.
07:00How are you?
07:01Oh my goodness, you look sensational.
07:03I think we saw you earlier, didn't we?
07:04Yeah, we did.
07:05I would like to apologise for my hair.
07:07Are you all right back then?
07:08I was having my photos taken and I got caught.
07:10Oh, but you look so...
07:11I promised I'd make an effort.
07:13You did, didn't you?
07:14I tried.
07:15And then we had a downpour at Downton.
07:16I love it.
07:17Downpour at Downton.
07:18And loves the comedy.
07:19Do you know what?
07:20It's all...
07:21Let's have a look.
07:22First time we win round.
07:23It's gone.
07:24It's gone.
07:25It's all gone peaked off.
07:26It's not about me though.
07:27You two look absolutely sensational.
07:29Listen, we're here.
07:30Yay.
07:31I remember chatting to you about how you might feel when you're at the premiere.
07:35How are you feeling?
07:36Is it hard to take all this in right now?
07:38I think it is.
07:39Yeah, completely.
07:40I've got very wet feet.
07:41So, there's that.
07:43I mean, it's amazing but it's also kind of dislocated.
07:47I'm looking forward to seeing it with the fans and seeing what they do and then, you know,
07:51having a lovely party.
07:52This is a celebration.
07:53So, it's kind of what we're here for.
07:55Early on.
07:56And I think all the characters are going to hold on to Downton in some way.
07:59I mean, how is it going to hold a special place in your heart?
08:02And what has it meant to you to be a part of this?
08:04Well, it's been life changing, really.
08:06I mean, for everybody.
08:08It's sort of, you know, it's not only career changing, but life changing.
08:12It gives you so many more opportunities.
08:14You know, you get to travel the world a little bit more to sort of promote this.
08:18So, and you're able to, as Jim was saying, you're able to sort of help other, you know,
08:25help out a little bit more with charities and things.
08:27So, it's made a massive difference to a lot of people.
08:30Not just sort of fans enjoying the show.
08:33So, yeah, it's been great.
08:34It's been a wonderful experience.
08:35It's like winning the lottery, actually.
08:37It really is.
08:38It is.
08:39It is.
08:40And that's an actor's life.
08:41You know, you can go a long time without it.
08:43But it will hold a very special place in all of our hearts, actually.
08:46Yeah.
08:47Yeah.
08:48Oh, I love it.
08:49Listen, it's lovely to see you.
08:50I hope you get your feet dry later.
08:51I'm sure it will.
08:52I'll be putting my head under a dryer.
08:53Yeah, yeah.
08:54I'll see you there.
08:55I mean, we are.
08:56At the moment when you open the screen.
08:57It's nice to see you.
08:58It's nice to see you.
08:59Nice to see you again.
09:00Oh, nice to see you.
09:01How are you?
09:02That was very gentlemanly, obviously.
09:03Well, she's a lady and I'm merely a butler.
09:04You know, I know my place.
09:05Well, I would like to apologise to you because I did make an effort, but I was having my
09:06photographs taken and I got caught in the downcourt down to the sea.
09:07Now, the only shame about this is that we can't swing the camera onto you.
09:08It's fine.
09:09People will see it on social media.
09:10I will be posting pictures like that.
09:11Fine.
09:12Fine.
09:13Fine.
09:14Fine.
09:15Fine.
09:16Fine.
09:17Fine.
09:18Fine.
09:19Fine.
09:20Fine.
09:21Fine.
09:22Fine.
09:23Fine.
09:24Fine.
09:25Fine.
09:26Fine.
09:27Fine.
09:28Fine.
09:29Fine.
09:30Fine.
09:31Fine.
09:32Fine.
09:33Fine.
09:34Fine.
09:35Fine.
09:36You look amazing.
09:37I see you've stayed dry.
09:38I've stayed dry.
09:39Yes.
09:40I asked the rain to stop and it did of course.
09:41Yeah.
09:42Thank heavens, yeah.
09:43I feel like for so many Downton fans your character holds such a special place in your heart.
09:48I mean, it's not Downton without you.
09:50So how are you feeling right now about Let Go and we're here at the grand finale?
09:55It's really emotional.
09:57Well, it'll be emotional later when we've seen the film with the full audience.
10:01full audience because I've only seen it with two or three people on a Wednesday afternoon in the
10:04darkroom which is no way to watch it you know people go and see it at the cinema you know see
10:08it with other people and I'm looking forward to that because I think you told us you laughed and
10:14you cried and I want to feel all that and then I should probably feel emotional then I'm excited
10:19to see it you know and to be here with all the gang all dressed up yeah I think lady Sybil's
10:26next door no lady Edith and she's going to sing a song I think really the way she's holding the
10:31microphone would you join in no but listen what are the things that you'll take from this character
10:37that will live on within you what are the traits because I do love them oh that's nice I really do
10:42oh no I tend to sort of take the character off with the costume you know really but you know I empathised
10:50with his sense of decency and although he was kind of rather severe there was a warm heart
10:58underneath there if you could Mrs Hughes couldn't find it she can unlock his heart he's kind man
11:05he's you know he believes in tradition and politeness and so yeah that I think is a lesson
11:12that we all need at the moment it's a massive gift it's a wonderful gift you know I mean I was
11:25apart from Maggie I was one of the older characters in fact if I met an actor friend of mine shortly
11:32after being cast and he said oh you swine you've got the only old man's part in the film
11:36the old man excuse me um I was furious um so yeah to give that amount of pleasure all over the world
11:47I mean I bumped into Chinese tourists in Cambodia who recognised me in a fish and chip shop in South
11:54Island New Zealand weird that's not normal it is because you're an icon just finally you mentioned
12:02day Maggie so I have to ask I know it's emotional but what are your memories of working with her
12:06because I do feel like she had some of the best lines in the show well she had the best lines in
12:10the show and boy did she know how to deliver them I mean Julian fellows wrote very well for her didn't
12:14be but boy boy she could knock them out of the park and you know Maggie was the leader of the acting
12:19company because she was a great you know actress the head of the profession and Violet was the head of
12:25the the the Crawley family so we miss her on both counts and uh the fictional Violet died in the
12:32second film and uh bless her dear Maggie died between before this film's been released so you
12:38know her presence is everywhere though and we feel it in the film and we all miss her well listen I hope
12:43you enjoy it tonight I hope it's not too emotional and I hope you stay dry oh yeah you'll stay dry yeah
12:48and if you see me coming out crying you know it's work yeah exactly lovely to see you
13:02hello how are you that was that was um that was very gentlemanly of you both there how are you both
13:09doing right how are you we stood back naturally yeah and you were you were speechless you were taking
13:14the back yeah honestly i feel like we were back in the 1930s there for a minute oh yeah it was great
13:18have a bit of that listen i love your characters in this i love the alliance that they have it's a
13:24quiet alliance with i love your necklace that's a beautiful that's beautiful a little bit of glamour
13:28there well i mean i tried but i got caught in the downturn no it looks good it's the distressed looking
13:36it looks good you're pulling it off you're pulling it off i'm probably like a lady but clearly it's not
13:40going to work do you know what i mean i'm not i'm not meant to know all the jewelry that he's working
13:44honestly but listen the alliance that your characters kind of have really they made they
13:49they support her even though she's going through the divorce and everything but that quiet support
13:54i love that kind of storyline it's my favorite thing in the movie how was it kind of playing these
13:58characters and in that time where you know divorce was such a bad thing well that and being gay you
14:06know we're the gays so that we stick up for everyone that was hard yeah that's harder than
14:10divorce yeah you don't know i didn't want to say it but i was it was on the tip of my tongue to see
14:16the girls and the gays the alliance was there yeah we're right there with her no i think they can
14:21obviously you can empathize with someone being ostracized for no no good reason apart from falling
14:27out of love or whatever you know what i mean so yeah they're definitely down with lady mary for that very
14:31reason what was it like being an actor of that time as well i think they had a ball you know all the
14:38lot they're like like guy who were they were called the british raj and that the hollywood raj and they
14:43they'd all come out from england where they were you know miserable and cold go out to hollywood and
14:49play cricket on the beach they loved it they had a ball i'd love to have gone there you know and they
14:53drank a lot as well yeah yeah david and nib and all that lot did you have a good laugh together then i feel
14:59like you did i don't i think so i don't know yeah we did we did we uh they didn't keep our sex scene
15:13in for some reason but i suppose they were you know when he was in stirrups listen there was one
15:20story line that was scandalous enough that would have been too much yeah it would have been too
15:23much too soon but in the spin-off that's that's dvd extras i'm obsessed with you two saying we are the
15:29gays that's made my night thank you boys boys boys see you later
15:40my character uh i was very hopeful that she would eventually take the reins
15:47from her father robert and she does so i'm very pleased that that has happened
15:55i think people love the show so much uh because they find it very comforting
16:01and it's very much about warmth the love and family
16:09well i think we've matured with the show we've all grown up with the show in some ways
16:16but our friendship remains the same as it did from day one we're all very close
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