‘Downton Abbey’ season 3: Michelle Dockery talks keeping [spoiler] a secret

When you shoot a show like “Downton Abbey,” what you are really having to do is protect yourself in ways that many shows on TV are not nearly as cautious about. Why? If a potential spoiler gets out early, it’s not only going to hurt viewers in Britain; it’s also going to damage and disappoint fans around the world who have to wait longer to actually watch the episode. Take, for example, audiences in America, who are still waiting eagerly to see what happens until the show returns to PBS in January with new episodes.

So what was one of the hardest secrets for the cast to keep? According to Michelle Dockery, it was trying to ensure that the wedding dress Lady Mary wore to her wedding to Matthew remained under wraps. Speaking as a part of a chat with Interview Magazine, here is what the actress had to say:

“I wanted to save it, the producers wanted to save it,” she said. “So that day we were in this carriage, me and Hugh Bonneville, and the windows were all blacked out and there were paparazzi climbing trees trying to get a glimpse.

“I would have been really disappointed, actually, if someone had managed to get a snap of it.”

Ever since the wedding, Mary has admittedly had a little bit less to do as a character. What’s the primary reason for this? Really, we just blame the fact that she has been rather preoccupied at late with everything going on with her husband’s new ownership stake in the Abbey, coupled with the fact that she and the other residents are now having to deal with the fact that Sybil died only minutes after giving birth.

What do you want to see happen to Mary moving forward on the series?