“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. Watch as they dive into filming a movie within a movie, the excursion to the South of France.
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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]