in-flagrante

The Envelope: Michelle Dockery on Lady Mary's dramatic curve on 'Downton Abbey'

Fri, 24 May 2013 22:04:18 -0400

The Envelope: Michelle Dockery on Lady Mary's dramatic curve on 'Downton Abbey':

Michelle Dockery just finished a long day of filming at Highclere Castle, the Hampshire, England, country house that always looks so lovely on “Downton Abbey,”even though most spring days there, like this particular one, are wet and windy. Before heading off to a late dinner with “Downton” creator Julian Fellowes (“I’m going to try to find out some story lines, but it’s like getting blood out of a stone,” Dockery good-naturedly complains), the Emmy-nominated actress took a break to talk to The Envelope about where her character, Lady Mary, might be heading in the wake of the shocking Season 3 finale death of her beloved husband, Matthew (Dan Stevens).

So how far along are you in shooting the new season?

We’re almost halfway through. We’re filming episodes 5 and 6.

Lady Mary’s wedding …

Oh, no, not yet! [Laughs.] She hasn’t moved on that quickly!

Some worry she will move on too quickly. She must mourn Matthew! Properly!

And she will. There’s no way she’ll fall for someone that quickly. Matthew was the love of her life. But …

I knew there was going to be a “but …”

Well, the predicament that Mary’s in now is that she does need to find someone eventually. She has the heir to Downton, she has baby George and she is under pressure to find someone. In that world, women had to find someone. It was all about marriage and who you’d spend the rest of your life with.

Judging from what I’ve read, potential suitors are making a beeline to Downton.

Oh, they are! Yes! She’s an eligible bachelorette. It’s exciting. We’ve got some great actors joining the show.

Were you surprised when Dan decided to leave “Downton”?

Initially, I was very sad to hear he was going. It has been strange not having him around because we had become very good friends and had done pretty much every scene together for three years. But the positive is that it’s opened a huge door of opportunity for storytelling. How is Mary going to survive without her Matthew? Her world is completely turned upside down.

Which gives you more drama to play than, say, Mary not getting enough sleep because baby George has been crying all night.

Yes! There’s more drama in misery, though I suppose not getting enough sleep would be miserable too.

In England, the “Downton” finale, which ended with that close-up on Matthew’s lifeless eyes and bleeding skull, aired on Christmas. Nothing quite says “happy holidays” like a shocking death.

I was watching it with my family, and none of them knew. My mom was in tears. She couldn’t believe it. It slightly ruined the day for a lot of people.

Did Matthew’s death need to be that graphic?

It had to seem final! We couldn’t leave it open because it would be brutal if people were wondering if he was still alive. I remember when I first read it, I was just in a flood of tears. It was the finality of mine and Dan’s time together on the show. But then I thought, “Wow! The audience will really be shocked!” And because the rumor got out that Dan was leaving, people were prepared for it.

And now even midway through filming the upcoming season, you have no idea where Fellowes is taking Mary?

I haven’t a clue. And that’s what’s brilliant about the show. Julian writes as he goes along, and the story develops from each set of rushes he watches. The thing about Mary is that she’s incredibly strong and has already been through quite a lot. Before Matthew died, she lost a sister and went through the whole scandal with Pamuk and Richard Carlisle. She’s really been through the mill. And what’s wonderful to play is the whole British, stiff-upper-lip thing. You keep calm and carry on. She’s not weak. She’s a survivor. So she will come through it.

Just not too quickly …

It will take a long time. I promise.

Photo

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:32:00 -0400

sleepyladymary: I just want Non-Stop promo to start

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:49:41 -0400

sleepyladymary:

I just want Non-Stop promo to start

“Evil Roy Slade - More people should know about this. It’s a TV...

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:39:00 -0400

“Evil Roy Slade - More people should know about this. It’s a TV film from the 1970s, a western, with John Astin. He’s the meanest villain in the west. But he’s really stupid, useless at it.”

— Michelle Dockery

“As a kid, I used to watch comedy a lot with my parents...

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:18:00 -0400

“As a kid, I used to watch comedy a lot with my parents and sisters. We’ve just got this crazy sense of humour, especially when the three of us get together.”

Short clip of Shades of Beige with Michelle Dockery and Edward...

Fri, 17 May 2013 05:16:00 -0400

Short clip of Shades of Beige with Michelle Dockery and Edward Hogg [X]

Series One Interview with Michelle Dockery

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:04:31 -0400

Q: Why do you think the show will do so well internationally?

A: People abroad are fascinated by our history. Period dramas like Gosford Park have been an enormous success overseas and we hope that Downton Abbey will have the same appeal. The costumes and the way in which the characters speak will attract international audiences. It’s so different to most modern TV and films – it’s a very different world. It’s really colourful, and the plots are terrific.

Q: Tell us more about the plots.

A: There are so many twists and turns where you can’t see what’s coming next. Julian has a great ability to surprise audiences. When you’re expecting one thing to happen, something completely different occurs. Things tend to happen out of the blue.

Q: Why did the first series of Downton Abbey chime with UK audiences?

A: When I read the script, what struck me first and foremost was Julian Fellowes’ writing. He has a gift for creating amazing characters and storylines. The audiences really connected with these characters and felt a real warmth towards them.

Q: Did the massive success of the show take you by surprise?

A: Absolutely. The whole frenzy has been crazy and completely overwhelming. Even though we all hoped it would do well, we never imagined how much of a success it would be. People come up to me all the time and are so lovely about it. They really gush about the show – they love it! They know we’re doing another series and say they can’t wait!

Q: Can you give us an example of the sort of attention you’ve attracted on the streets?

A: I was in New York recently. Downton Abbey has been a huge success over there – it’s thrilling that people feel the same way about it on the other side of the Atlantic. I was in a New York cafe with my family and as I was ordering my food, a woman at the next table leant over and asked: ‘Are you in Downton Abbey? We love it here!’ It’s an amazing feeling to be recognised in another part of the world!

Q: Can you please outline your character, Lady Mary. She is not willing to be pushed into marrying any old aristocrat just so she can inherit Downtown Abbey, is she?

A: Absolutely not! There’s a great line Julian has written about the female characters in Downton Abbey and that is that they’re in a waiting room until they marry, which tells it how it is.

Q: So is she the wrong gender for that position?

A: Yes. In some ways, Mary’s the boy that Lord and Lady Grantham never had - I think Mary feels that her father really wanted a son. It would have made everything a lot smoother for the family inheritance if they’d had a boy. So in that respect, Mary is really tough and incredibly stubborn - whichever man is pushed in her direction by her mother or whomever, she’s actually quite reluctant to consider as a potential husband.

Q: Can you describe what it is like working with Dame Maggie Smith (who plays Mary’s grandmother, Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham)?

A: She’s wonderful! At first I was in complete awe of her, but playing her granddaughter I soon realised she has a wicked sense of humour. We all have a lovely rapport with her now. On one occasion, one of the girls called her ‘Nan’ to her face and she found it hilarious! We’ve got a brilliant relationship.

Q: Tell us more about your collaboration with Dame Maggie.

A: Maggie’s one of our greatest actresses so you up your game around her - you feel you want to be your absolute best when you’re in her company. She’s extraordinary to watch. When you see her doing a scene with someone else, it’s an astonishing feeling for a young actress. I’ve watched her for years and it’s an absolute privilege to be working with her now.

Q: What is the enduring appeal of a period drama?

A: People seem fascinated with that bygone world because it’s so different from the world we live in now. We all have phones and computers and live in a media and information obsessed age. So we’re drawn to that idea of living at a time when communication was so difficult. There is a real nostalgia for a time when everything was so much simpler. In Downton Abbey, the phone is just starting to appear – it was the most extraordinary thing anyone had ever seen.

Q: Finally, what do you hope audiences around the world will take away from Downton Abbey?

A: I hope they love it as much as viewers do in the UK and the US. People really do warm to the characters. They look forward to seeing their journey each week. People in the press have been writing, ‘I’d love to live in Downton Abbey’. It’s brilliant that the show elicits that reaction. I can’t wait to start again! Downton Abbey is great escapism. When you watch it, you forget all about the stresses of your daily life and your work. You’re lost in a different world. It’s very cosy and enjoyable. As you sit down in front of it with a cup of tea and a biscuit, it creates the most marvellously warm Sunday night feeling. What could be better than that?

keintraumenohnenacht: Michelle Dockery in the O Magazin South...

Mon, 13 May 2013 06:10:00 -0400

keintraumenohnenacht:

Michelle Dockery in the O Magazin South Africa, May 2013

If anyone lives in South Africa please check the news stands.

Mon, 13 May 2013 04:53:21 -0400

If anyone lives in South Africa please check the news stands.

The Beach Boys - God Only Knows

Sun, 12 May 2013 22:22:55 -0400

The Beach Boys - God Only Knows

Michelle Dockery plugs Pants on Fire’s Pinocchio.

Sun, 12 May 2013 02:58:12 -0400

Michelle Dockery plugs Pants on Fire’s Pinocchio.

Photo

Sun, 12 May 2013 02:40:00 -0400

Michelle Dockery judging you and the clothes you wear.

Sat, 11 May 2013 16:33:24 -0400

Michelle Dockery judging you and the clothes you wear.

Laura Carmichael with Nerd James Bond Zachary Quinto.

Sat, 11 May 2013 03:54:00 -0400

Laura Carmichael with Nerd James Bond Zachary Quinto.

So what next? Given that her career looks so meteoric, Dockery...

Fri, 10 May 2013 22:27:29 -0400

So what next? Given that her career looks so meteoric, Dockery is surprisingly laid-back. There’s a TV project in the pipeline – which she can’t talk about – and she’s pulling the odd pint at her local. You get the impression she’s happy to enjoy whatever comes.

“It’s a bit of a history lesson, being an actor. I was in Burnt By The Sun at the National, which was set in Stalinist Russia, so I discovered all about that. You learn so much as you go along.” [X]

Simon Curtis, Elizabeth McGovern and Julian Fellowes To Reunite for New Film.

Fri, 10 May 2013 13:37:00 -0400

Simon Curtis, Elizabeth McGovern and Julian Fellowes To Reunite for New Film.:

With the principal cast of “Downton Abbey” already beginning to break up as they (particularly its younger stars) look for the next step up career-wise, you can forgive Julian Fellowes and some of his older cast-members for also pursuing other projects and setting themselves up for a life after ‘Downton,’ whenever that may come. And last week brought news that screenwriter Fellowes, who created the show, will reunite with Lady Grantham herself, Elizabeth McGovern, on the Fox Searchlight pic “The Chaperone.”

Someone said this looks like a gathering of vampires.

Thu, 09 May 2013 18:41:00 -0400

Someone said this looks like a gathering of vampires.

Laura Carmichael named patron of Haiti Hospital Appeal

Thu, 09 May 2013 00:26:37 -0400

Laura Carmichael named patron of Haiti Hospital Appeal:

“I’m thrilled to support HHA because their work is so inspiring. They put their money into the hands of people who need it the most and are doing fantastic work building a hospital and children’s homes that will last for generations. HHA is a small charity that is doing vital work and I am so proud to support them.”

Michelle Dockery and Jo Dockery attend the Costume Institute...

Wed, 08 May 2013 20:46:00 -0400

Michelle Dockery and Jo Dockery attend the Costume Institute Gala for the “PUNK: Chaos to Couture” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2013 in New York City.

This is adorable.

Michelle Dockery with Homeland stars Morena Baccarin and David...

Tue, 07 May 2013 23:33:00 -0400

Michelle Dockery with Homeland stars Morena Baccarin and David Negahban, Cosmopolitan editor Joanna Coles, CNN anchor Dana Bash, and lobbyist Hilary Rosen.