She’s found fame and fortune playing the perennially posh Lady Edith Crawley on Downton Abbey, but actress Laura Carmichael says she never could have predicted the show’s success.
“It was my first TV job,” the 29-year-old explains, reminiscing on the show’s humble beginnings in 2010.
“I would have been happy if just my mum watched it! When people started going mad for it, I remember Hugh Bonneville [who plays on-screen father Lord Grantham] saying to me, ‘Laura, they don’t all go like this. This is quite a good first job, you know.'”
Five years on and fans are still as enthusiastic as ever for the Crawleys, with more than a few tears likely when the show finally wraps at the end of this year.
“We’ve had amazing support over the years,” says Laura. “And amazing celebrity fans too. I’ll never forget when Anthony Hopkins came to see us. He was asking me about Edith – he clearly loved the show. That was overwhelming.”
With the show’s seventh and final season starting tonight on Prime, Laura wishes Edith finally finds happiness.
“We’ll have to wait and see, but I hope she does. She so deserves it!”
And as for the rest of the cast, they’re planning to celebrate the show’s final hurrah with a toast.
“We’re a family. We’ve had the luxury of six years to make great friends and bond with each other. There will definitely be drinks when it’s over!”
Downton Abbey airs tonight at 8.30pm on Prime.
Laura in character as Lady Edith on Downton Abbey.
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