'Downton Abbey: A New Era' Interviews With Allen Leech, Laura Carmichael

Cinema Blend

“Downton Abbey: A New Era,” and CinemaBlend’s Mike Reyes got the privilege of discussing all of the behind-the-scenes details with stars Allen Leech, Laura Carmichael, Joanne Froggatt and Phyllis Logan, as well as Creator Julian Fellowes.

Transcript

00:00 A moving picture at Downton.

00:02 Would there be a little Sass Famous one?

00:04 Three, two, one, action!

00:06 How are you both today?

00:12 Thank you very much.

00:13 Oh, it's wonderful to be talking to you about Downton Abbey A New Era.

00:18 As always, returning to Downton just looks so effortless for everyone,

00:22 but obviously it's a movie.

00:24 There's going to be long, grueling days on set,

00:27 and I wanted to ask you both, what was the hardest day to get through?

00:31 The longest day on set, probably, I think,

00:38 one of the dining room scenes we had in France,

00:41 that was, it wasn't that the day was any longer than it normally was,

00:46 it was just that it was 32 degrees and we were surrounded by seafood.

00:50 It's not the best choice, and it was all sitting out for two days,

00:54 or three days, actually.

00:56 And I had the great idea of saying that I was happy to de-shell

00:59 one of the lobster tails in every take,

01:02 and just a couple of times that didn't go well,

01:04 and I got spattered with cement trails.

01:05 So for me, that was definitely the longest day of filming.

01:08 Yeah, and also I felt like that the dance that was supposed to be in France,

01:14 there was only one bit that we did a bit of doubling,

01:15 but the party at the end of France,

01:19 that was a night shoot,

01:22 and we were doubling some parts of the UK for the South of France,

01:27 and so it was pretty freezing, actually, and raining.

01:30 And so that felt like a pretty long day.

01:33 Yeah, you're right.

01:34 Always those night dances.

01:36 I know.

01:38 Especially because, Alan, you had the night dance at the end of Downton One,

01:43 and that led to a bet between the producers.

01:48 Did that bet ever get paid off?

01:51 To the best of my knowledge,

01:52 Gareth Meme has not yet paid Liz Troubridge

01:54 for her great idea of having me dance outside.

01:56 What?

01:57 To the best of my knowledge, yes.

01:58 He also said he was joking.

02:00 He also said it wasn't 500 quid, that it was a fiver,

02:03 and someone misunderstood him.

02:05 But I believe it has been paid, yeah.

02:08 We should get him.

02:09 Someone needs to grill him on that.

02:11 Yeah, definitely.

02:12 Well, for me, I think it was probably...

02:17 Mrs Hughes ends up in a rather bizarre outfit,

02:22 which you would not expect to see her in, in normal circumstances.

02:27 And I literally couldn't get into the toilet with it.

02:32 I didn't know that.

02:34 No, no, I couldn't.

02:35 People know.

02:37 I tried every way, which way, and so I had to...

02:39 I think I went in the field in the end.

02:43 I don't know what I did, but we worked it out some way.

02:47 But it was quite a challenge, trust me.

02:49 That is not fun.

02:50 For me, what was the hardest day?

02:55 To be perfectly honest, I don't think I really had a hard day.

02:59 In all honesty, I mean, yeah, it's just so much fun.

03:04 We had such a giggle.

03:06 It's a privilege to be...

03:07 Yeah, we all know each other so well, and we slot back into those roles.

03:10 And to have the new cast members with us, who were great, fun, and brilliant

03:16 at what they did, and it was just, it was great.

03:20 I mean, the whole, it was just great fun.

03:22 You know, it wasn't, there was no hardship for me.

03:25 I'm just the mourner, the complete...

03:28 The morning mini.

03:29 That's pretty hard going, if you can't go to the loo.

03:31 Hardcore, yes.

03:32 There's trouble in paradise.

03:35 You don't need me to tell you that marriage is a novel,

03:37 full of plot twists along the way.

03:39 There were rumours surrounding an iconic character dying in the sequel.

03:44 However, the film does sort of misdirect us with a whole plot involving Korra.

03:49 What inspired you to throw that curveball into the script?

03:52 No, I mean, I don't know what I have to say about it, really.

03:58 I mean, this is what we came to as a story.

04:01 And with Korra and Robert, who both have quite emotional storylines this time,

04:13 I felt that in the earlier film, although they were, you know, in it a lot,

04:18 I mean, they were on screen, but they didn't have their own particular emotional journey.

04:23 And so I did want to give them both something with sort of meat on the bones

04:28 for them to get their teeth into, you know, so that was conscious.

04:31 And apart from that, you know, I do my research and I, you know,

04:39 I was looking for a certain kind of condition and that sort of thing.

04:43 And then I get advice from people who know far more about it than I do.

04:49 Laura, Edith has gone from strength to strength throughout the entire history of Downton.

04:54 And now, you know, she's back to writing.

04:56 She has such a wonderful, thriving family life.

04:59 What do you think is the greatest difference between the Edith you met

05:02 and the pilot and the Edith we see in a new era?

05:05 Oh, wow, that's a good question.

05:07 I think she really has grown and evolved.

05:10 I mean, she was very traditional, I think, when you met her.

05:14 I think she really thought she was going to have a very similar life

05:17 to that of her grandmothers, marry well and live in a big house.

05:21 And even though she did end up doing that, she took a more interesting route.

05:26 And I think, you know, she really found her voice and became a writer.

05:32 And that has given her this amazing self-confidence, I think.

05:37 And I think you see that in this movie with her and Bertie.

05:40 She seems just in a really good place.

05:43 So, yeah, she's much happier than the Edith we met in season one.

05:47 Women like us fall into two categories, dragons and fools.

05:52 You must make sure they think of you as a dragon.

05:55 So, new era is indeed dawning.

05:59 New developments, dear friends are leaving.

06:01 If Downton Three happens, do either of you have ideas for where you would like it to go?

06:05 Maldives.

06:08 [laughter]

06:11 Funny you mentioned that, because Phyllis, when we spoke for Home Video,

06:15 you and Jim Carter pitched the Carsons going to the Maldives.

06:19 Did you?

06:20 Well, he would, of course, because he's quite an aficionado of the Maldives, is he not?

06:25 But yes, he probably did, yes.

06:27 So I think it's a no-brainer.

06:31 We've all got to move the castle there.

06:35 Absolutely.

06:36 Exactly. Brick by brick, it could work.

06:39 And how do I help you get co-writing credit for this film?

06:42 Because obviously Mr Carson gets to go to the south of France,

06:46 and he burned like he said he would.

06:48 So do you want me to talk to Julian about this?

06:52 If you would, that would be great.

06:54 That would be great.

06:55 Which would be much appreciated, yes.

06:58 Oh, well, in relation to the whole idea or plot we've been talking about,

07:03 we love the idea of Downton coming to New York just before the crash of Wall Street

07:10 to come visit Shirley MacLaine's character, let's go see Cora's family.

07:14 Yeah, I think if we're carrying on our excursion.

07:18 Yeah, now they've realised they can go on a boat, it's not going to sink.

07:23 They can possibly go to New York.

07:26 All the boats have sank before that point, so you're good.

07:29 And absolutely every single one at some point.

07:32 Or been sunk.

07:33 Yeah.

07:34 They better be warned, the British are coming.

07:45 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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