‘Downton Abbey’ season 5: How Michelle Dockery, Lily James step out after filming
While “Downton Abbey” season 4 may have only recently wrapped in America, the stars of the show in the United Kingdom are already hard at work on the upcoming fifth season. It is a process that takes a good half a year to complete, and they have to do it early in order for new episodes to be ready for ITV in the fall.
But what do some of the cast members do from time to time when they are not shooting scenes? How about getting an opportunity to sport some designer gowns and attend prestigious galas! The likes of Lily James (Lady Rose), Lesley Nicol (Mrs. Patmore), Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary), Sophie McShera (Daisy), and others recent attended the Changing Faces Gala Dinner in London, and that was an opportunity for them to spend some time together even when not shooting scenes … and all still while helping to raise money for a noble cause. (The organization helps those who see their appearance altered by some sort of disfigurement.)
London is occasionally a “Downton Abbey” setting, though most of the scenes at the Abbey itself (at least the upstairs portion of it) are filmed at Highclere Castle. Meanwhile, the areas where the servants work downstairs is actually done at a separate studio. (This may be old news to some, but for new fans coming in from time to time, these are little details they may have missed out on.) Highclere has become a popular tourist destination and also wedding venue thanks to the show’s massive success worldwide. How big is the show? We just reported yesterday that the ratings were the highest for a drama series in PBS history, and that is just for America.
There is no premiere date yet for season 5 in Britain, and save for some guest cast members like Richard E. Grant (who was recently on “Girls”), there is not much information out there. The producers are notoriously tight-lipped to keep out spoilers.
What we can advise you to do for now is to stay tuned, and also sign up for our CarterMatt Newsletter in the event that you want to get some more updates sent right to your email inbox.
Photo: ITV