Hugh Bonneville on Downton Abbey’s eternal “sense of escape”

“Downton Abbey” actor Hugh Bonneville reflects on playing Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham, for over 10 years and why the Downton series has become nostalgic for fans. Initially when the show debuted in 2010, it was like a form of escapism from the world amidst a financial crisis, Bonneville told Salon’s Melanie McFarland. Now with the film “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” out now in theaters, fans are getting a chance to revisit the characters and that entire experience. “Now we get people watching it who say that they remember when they first watched it with a sense of nostalgia, not only for the era in which the show is set, but the era in which they watch the show seems calmer, less divisive to the world,” Bonneville continued. “A lot has changed, but Downton remains the same.” Watch the full episode to hear more from Bonneville on Downton and playing Mr. Brown in the Paddington films.