Almost four years after Downton Abbey ended its run on the small screen, it’s making a leap to the big screen. The movie picks up where the TV ended off, continuing the story of the Crawley family and the servants in their family.
The movie is set in 1927 and surrounds the Crawleys preparing for a royal visit from King George V and Queen Mary. Let’s revisit the characters we love and those we love to hate.
Maggie Smith (The Dowager Countess)
Of course, the sharp-tongued Dowager is back. Beneath her quippy exterior, the matriarch of the Crawley is a romantic at heart. This time around, she may have met her match in Lady Bagshaw (Imelda Staunton), a distant cousin, a new character in the movie.
Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary Talbot)
Lady Mary is always the one who tries to keep everything and everyone in order. The eldest of three Crawley daughters (of the Earl of Grantham and Lady Cora) was cold and petulant when she was younger, but she grew to be compassionate and shows vulnerability as the years pass. When we last saw her, she dealt with the deaths of her first fiancé and cousin Patrick (Trevor White), her first lover Pamuk (Theo James), her first husband/cousin Matthew (Dan Stevens). She also pretty much runs Downton.
Hugh Bonneville (Earl of Grantham- Robert Crawley) and Elizabeth McGovern (Lady Cora)
Now that Mary is running the house, Robert and Cora are taking a bit of the back seat. Cora seemed to have found her calling running the local hospital, while Robert finally realises that his wife and daughters are more than happy to take on unconventional tasks, and supports them.
Joanne Froggatt (Mrs Bates) and Brendan Coyle (Mr Bates)
John is Mr Crawley’s valet. He was initially poorly treated by the staff as he uses a cane. Despite attempts by fellow staff to get rid of him, he eventually earned the respect of the staff with his morals and work ethics.
Anna was the head housemaid at Downton and now works as a lady’s maid to Lady Mary. Married to John, the pair just had a baby boy and is in a happy place.
Laura Carmichael and Harry Hadden-Paton (The Marquess and Marchioness of Hexham- Lord Herbert Pelham and Lady Edith Crawley Pelham)
Edith is the overlooked middle daughter, being left at the altar and losing her the love of her life, Michael Gregson, who died in Germany mysteriously. She was left unwed and alone to raise her baby. However, she is no damsel in distress. Edith puckered up and started running her own magazine and got hitched, to Herbert Pelham, a Marquess. As a marchioness, she outranks even her mother.
Known as Bertie, the 7th Marquess of Hexham is a contented man who has few ambitions in life and adores Edith.
Lesley Nicol (Mrs Patmore) and Sophie McShera (Daisy)
Mrs Patmore is the cook at Downton Abbey and thinks that she runs the house. One of her favourite things is to order her assistant cook, Daisy, about.
Daisy used to be a kitchen maid but progressed to be an assistant cook, living under the watchful eye of Mrs Patmore. When we last saw her, she was going to live with her former father in law (her husband died), Mr Mason. She was also considering a romance with Andrew (Parker, the second footman at Downton Abbey).
Allen Leech (Tom Branson)
Leech is a former chauffeur and widower of Lady Sybil Crawley (the third of the Crawley sisters, who died during childbirth). He is now the estate manager for Downton Abbey. He’s somehow worked his way into his in-law’s hearts that they embraced his plan to run a car dealership. He and Lady Mary make a great team, co-running Downton.
Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan (Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes)
Carter used to be the butler of Downton Abbey and started his career with the Crawley family as a second footman when he was 19. He had witnessed the birth of the three Crawley daughters. Due to his worsening health conditions (He has Palsy), he rescinded his butler duties to Thomas Barrow.
Mrs Hughes is the head housekeeper of Downton and looks after all the female servants. Although stoic, she is ethical and fair. She also married Mr Cason not long ago. In the movie, the pair will help the Crawley family prep for the royal visit the best they can.
Rob James-Collier (Thomas Barrow) and Michael C. Fox (Andy Parker)
Thomas became the current butler, taking over the reins from Mr Carson. He was previously the first footman, head valet and under-butler. He also served in the army as a Corporal and later Lance Sergeant.
Andy was a temporary footman hired to work at the Grantham House before he was hired as a second footman at Downton Abbey.
Kevin Doyle and Raquel Cassidy (Mr Molesley and Mrs Baxter)
Molesley used to be a butler at the Crawley house in Downton village and later became Matthew Crawley’s valet until the latter’s death (Matthew is the late husband of Lady Mary). After a hiatus, he returned to Downton as a footman. After helping Daisy with her studies, he took up a teaching position at the Downton School before eventually returning to Downton again as a footman again, this time for larger events.
Mrs Baxter is the lady’s maid to the Countess of Grantham. She was previously pretty shady but eventually became more sympathetic.
★Chinese New Year Treat★
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