Hugh Bonneville reflects on filming the Downton Abbey finale movie without Dame Maggie Smith
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will act as a "proper tribute" to Dame Maggie Smith.
The upcoming film is the final in the franchise and after the passing of the legendary 'Harry Potter' actress - who starred as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham throughout the initial series and then again in its first two spin-off films but died in 2024 at the age of 89 - and now her former co-star Hugh Bonneville has reflected on just how "poignant" it was to shoot it without her.
Speaking on BBC's The One Show, he said: "It was quite poignant making the last film knowing that her character had passed away and then in real life, she passed away after we finished filming.
"So, really, this final film will be a proper tribute to her and to the show, which is coming to an end after 15 years."
The death of Maggie - whose 'Downton' alter ego, the Dowager Countess, passed away in the second movie, 2022's 'Downton Abbey: A New Era' - was announced on 27 September by her two sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens.
They said in a statement: 'She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.
The Grand Finale film is scheduled for release in cinemas on 12 September, and will be the final chapter in the Downton Abbey franchise.
Writer Julian Fellowes has returned to pen the script, with much of the original cast reprising their roles, including Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Joanne Froggatt, Allen Leech, Penelope Wilton and Lesley Nicol.
Additional returning actors include Raquel Cassidy, Brendan Coyle, Kevin Doyle, Harry Hadden-Paton, Sophie McShera, Douglas Reith and Dominic West.
New cast members for the film feature Paul Giamatti, Joely Richardson, Alessandro Nivola, Simon Russell Beale and Arty Froushan.
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