For the Maggie Smith fans: Downton Abbey

[best12bars]

He's very famous within certain circles. Actually, a 45-foot diameter.

[kec]

FYI The soundtrack for the series is now available in the U.S. It's on Amazon and on ITunes.CD includes three vocal songs:

Did I make the Most of Loving You? sung by Mary-Jess
If You Were the Only Girl in the World and Roses of Picardy both sung by Alfie Boe.
Downton Abbey Soundtrack

[madbrian]

The scene where Lady G tells O'Brien that the two of them will be helping at the soup kitchen is my favorite moment so far, even surpassing Maggie Smith's moments.

[bwayrose7]

Mine too! The look on O'Brien's face was priceless. And I knownit was a bit cheesy with the singing and all, but the scene where Matthew walked in as Mary was singing was really touching- Mary's expression said it all about these two. I so hope they get a chance to be together- we all know they're soul mates!

[best12bars]

I have to say, I really like the way they're giving Elizabeth McGovern (Lady Grantham) more to chew on as an actress. Her character locking horns with Mrs. Crawley and taking over the running of the convalescent center (as far as the household is concerned), plus her stepping up to the plate with the soup kitchen, has really been fun to watch. I'm glad she's growing as a character. Actually, they all are. Wartime brings out the best and worst in people, and it's a great setting to watch characters develop.

i'm lovin' it!

EDIT: The singing scene didn't bother me at all. Mary's not a "stage performer." She freely admits it, and the fact that it was awkward for her was perfect for the character and scene. She carried the tune and followed through admirably. And it developed into quite a touching moment when Matthew returned.

[best12bars]

I must say, it's a bit freaky to see some of these actors out of costume and makeup. They look SO different.

Here's O'Brien:








Here's Thomas:




Here's the cook, Mrs. Patmore:






And here's a GREAT one. Mrs. Crawley, just a few years back:

[romantico]

I agree. Watching the behind the scenes featurette and seeing these actors out of character is really weird. I'll add a few more.

Laura Carmichael AKA: as Lady Edith



Michelle Dockery AKA: Lady Mary



Jessica Brown Findlay AKA Lady Sybill



Joanne Froggatt AKA Anna



Brendan Coyle AKA Mr.Bates





Phyllis Logan AKA Mrs.Hughes





Sophie McShera AKA Daisy



Jim Carter AKA Carson





Dan Stevens AKA Matthew Crawley

[madbrian]

Lady Sybill could pass for Scarlett Johanssen's sister.

[romantico]

A few more

Penelope Wilton as Isobel





Thomas Howes AKA William





Rob James-Collier AKA Thomas





Hugh Bonneville AKA Robert Crawley





Elizabeth McGovern AKA Cora





And of finally Dame Maggie Smith

[Scripps2]

Siobhan O'Finneran (O'Brien) started her career in one of the title roles for a notorious 1980s film about two teenage slags schoolgirls from a sink estate and the odious git sales rep. they babysit for.

Be warned: this film isn't for people of a sensitive disposition and is definitely from the opposite end of the social spectrum to Downton Abbey.
Rita, Sue and Bob too

[Scripps2]

Dan started out in The Line of Beauty (hmmmmmm, I wonder what that's a reference to?) where he got some man-on-man action,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk-C8I8pIj0

some more man-on-man action,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxlX6eZqozs&oref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fresults%3Fsearch_query%3DThe%2Bline%2Bof%2Bbeauty%26oq%3DThe%2Bline%2Bof%2Bbeauty%26aq%3Df%26aqi%3Dg4%26aql%3D%26gs_sm%3De%26gs_upl%3D19073l22693l0l23750l18l17l0l9l9l1l290l1675l0.3.5l8l0

and finally, a bit of man-on-man action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_stXnZzHD7w

[Scripps2]

And, ofcourse, Dan's been my avatar for the last three years:



(though whether he returns is still under negotiation)

[romantico]

Behind the scenes.

[best12bars]

Such a terrific cast, truly.

[kec]

Downton Abbey won Best Drama in the UK's National Television Awards tonight. These awards are voted on by the viewers.

[Miranda3]

Never thought Mrs. Patmore could be so significantly younger in real life! Switching topics, for me a cardinal virtue of Downton is how many of the characters are multi-faceted, not all good or all bad. O'Brien's genuine remorse after the soap incident coexists with her prior and post conniving. And Edith had Mary's heart in mind when she told her Matthew was missing, despite Edith's prior sniping. Other examples of same abound.

Probably everybody knows this, but Jim Carter (Mr. Carson) is married to Imelda Staunton (current Mrs. Lovett in London), with whom he is pictured in one of the above pics.

[best12bars]

I agree with you about the characters not all "wearing black hats or white hats." The villains have good in them, and the good people have some bad moments as well.

It makes them more realistic, and it also keeps us guessing as to how things are going to play out.

In addition to O'Brien being such a "baddy" and your mentioning her genuine remorse for the soap incident, she is also very protective of the shellshocked servant. His mother was a lady's maid, and she noticed how good he was with a needle and thread. To see how little she cares for just about all of humanity and then have her not only treat this man with respect but also look out for him is surprising and refreshing. Gives her many more layers as a "person."

Other characters have been the same. Even Lord Grantham, who is largely a "good guy" has had his mean streaks and lapses of judgment. Again, good for Julian Fellows and the scripts for making them all so interesting.

EDIT: And I'll add in Mrs. Crawley, who I think is a fine person and has a terrific work ethic, loves her son, etc. She turned into a genuine pain in the butt and became over-the-top power-hungry when the house turned into a convalescent home. I don't blame Lady Grantham for losing her patience with her and gladly letting her leave when she threatened to. They are both "good guys," but to see them lock horns and challenge each other was unexpected and fascinating.

[EricMontreal22]

O'Brien becomes increasingly sympathetic in Series 2--something some critics have hated, but I felt was a natural progression.

[best12bars]

Hey, no spoilers now, or I'll have to kill you.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Scripps, thanks for that link to Rita, Sue and Bob, Too. I'd never even heard of it before. It's quite the little curio. I can't get the title song out of my head, either.

[wonkit]

Brendan Coyle is a darling! My favorite character.

[best12bars]

Phyllis Logan (the housekeeper Mrs. Hughes) is definitely another one who looks so much different and younger out of costume and makeup and in modern garb.

[Scripps2]

"Scripps, thanks for that link to Rita, Sue and Bob, Too. I'd never even heard of it before. It's quite the little curio."

And not of the sort that the Dowager would keep in her cabinet.

I think the contrast between the stupid tart in that and the austere, bitter O'Brien demonstrate remarkable versatility on the part of Siobhan Finneran.

"I can't get the title song out of my head, either."

Did you say you were a Sondheim fan?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I am indeed. Is there some connection to him with this that I'm missing or I am just dense?

Speaking of dense, I won't even dream to tell you what I thought "sink estate" meant until I was well into the movie, because if you think I'm an idiot now, you'd really think I was an idiot when I tell you I somehow got in my head "sink estate" meant Rita and Sue were heiresses to some kind of bathroom dynasty. Thanks to a Wiki-hole that I fell in, though, I can safely say that I'm now slightly more informed about council housing than most Americans.

And I agree with you about the contrast between Rita and O'Brien. I think Downton was my first exposure to Siobhan Finneran, so it was a lot of fun to see her so much younger and in such a different role.

[Scripps2]

"Is there some connection to him with this that I'm missing or I am just dense"

No connection. Not dense. Read the comment in a tone of Maggie Smith imperiousness - it's intended to be humorous.

"I won't even dream to tell you what I thought "sink estate" meant"

I guess the American equivalent is "trailer trash".

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I thought maybe that was what you were going for, but I wasn't sure and thought I'd hedge my bets before I put my foot in my mouth!

I guess the American equivalent is "trailer trash".

That follows. I also think that council housing is sort of like what's called "the projects" here.