One of the most important rules in Downton Abbey’s the universe has always been that the Dowager Countess always takes the last word. Through six seasons, and now two movies, it is one of the most sacred doctrines of this iconic series. That did not stop Penelope Wilton, the actress behind Countess Isobel Merton’s frequent partner, from trying to change the rules of the game. This led to a funny story involving this highly targeted Maggie Smith request for one of the most anticipated upcoming movies, Downton Abbey: A New Era.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Wilton complemented Smith on her skills when it comes to making a good argument. Although part of the equation is definitely credited to the writing of author Julian Fellowes, that’s why Penelope Wilton made this particular request:
“Maggie gets all the best lines!” With Maggie, you have to be in your game to hit the ball back. I said to Julian, “Can I win at least one of the arguments?” and he said, “No.”
Reading this funny denial of Penelope Wilton’s request, it might seem like it Downton Abbey’s the creator and author plays the favorites. Although Lady Isobel certainly accepts many times from time to time, her verbal tennis matches with Violet Grantham tend to favor the most respected woman on the Downton estate. Unless there is a very good reason to win, Wilton’s character usually can not prevail.
It may have to do with the adolescent experience that inspired Julian Fellowes to create Downton Abbey in the first place. Although it was not an instant creation from a vacation the young Fellowes had done, what inspired the Dowager Countess character must have been a strong idea. It was definitely strong enough for him to write a very similar character for Maggie Smith in his film Gosford Parkand this formula was very easily transferred to his Downton days.
The trailers for Downton Abbey: A New Era continued to attach particular importance to Maggie Smith’s Violet Grantham. As her recent legacy from a French villa sparks a ton of questions about her past, the Countess’s influence touches almost the entire film. This is one more reason not to punch him in the face, especially against Penelope Wilton’s equally respected character.
Just like Fellowes do not kill Downton characters without specific reasoning, the Dowager Countess can not lose a match for no reason. If the reports of the death of an emblematic character in A New Era to be true, and if Violet Grantham is indeed the one to say her last goodbyes, people would certainly not want to see her leave in excellent shape. Even Lady Isobel would tend to agree with this statement, although it would hurt her to admit it.
Downton Abbey: A New Era It is currently showing in UK cinemas, with its big US debut taking place on May 20th. Peacock subscribers We want to see the series again and / or the previous film event are lucky, as at the time of writing, it is Grantham’s current home for all things. Although anyone who relies on Netflix to participate in such a renewal should consider this, the six seasons will be gone by the end of May.
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