Downton Revealed
How do the three young stars of Downton Abbey feel about the squabbling Crawley sisters? Will they ever find true love?
Radio Times
Laura Carmichael - Plays Lady Edith
How old are you, and how old is Lady Edith?
I’m 25 and Edith is, well, she was born in 1894 so… where are we now? I’m hopeless at maths! It’s 1919 so she’s 25 too.
How would you describe Edith?
The overlooked middle Crawley daughter. She’s practical, possibly catty and quite hard – but I think all of that is something of a carapace.
What about her relationship with her sisters?
I suppose you could describe her as aggrieved, but it comes from years of being neglected in favour of Mary and young, sweet Sybil. Because Mary and Edith are so close in age, that rivalry is very intense. They are as stubborn as each other, but like fire and ice.
Do you have siblings?
I’m the middle of three sisters, just like Edith, though the difference is that there’s no rivalry between us at all. My sisters are the people I’m closest to. I love them to bits.
What about your Downton sisters, Michelle Dockery and Jessica Brown Findlay?
We’re very close and socialise away from work a lot All three of us have really bonded.
How does Edith feel about Mary’s ability to make men fall for her?
She’s very jealous of Mary’s charms, but I’m sure she’d never want to admit it to Mary.
Edith tried to ruin Mary’s reputation by revealing the truth about the death of Turkish diplomat Kemal Pamuk. What drove her to do such a thing?
Edith was genuinely in love with Patrick [who died on the Titanic], who Mary was engaged to, so Edith’s resentment at her older sister has been brewing for a long time. Mary really pushes Edith and relishes rubbing her nose in it whenever she can. But when Edith sent the letter, it was very shocking because she knew that it would spoil things for Mary. I think Edith perhaps has grown up a bit since and might reconsider doing the same thing again.
How does Edith feel about Sybil pursuing her feelings for the chauffeur, Tom Branson?
They’re all very sad for her. I think they think it’s a terrible decision, but they love her and understand her rebelliousness. That doesn’t stop them trying to “save” her from herself.
How do these very different attitudes to love compare with Edith’s? She seems very pragmatic until she starts having an affair…
By the end of series two, you see that Edith has almost given up on the prospect of finding love. That resignation is great to play, especially as there are some fine comic bits about Edith that can make you giggle..
Do you think she feels guilty about kissing a married man? Why did she do it?
That was her first kiss ever and the appeal of someone saying that she was beautiful was too tempting. I think she did think it was wrong and she did feel guilty about it – but that she did it anyway was an absolute joy.
In what way do you think the role of women has changed since the days of Downton?
The requirement in those days to find a husband, simply to survive financially, was just awful, but for the drama it’s great because there is a real sense of jeopardy for the girls and that’s what Julian [Fellowes] writes so wonderfully.
Will Edith ever discover a happy ending?
I’m constantly asking Julian, but don’t know yet – and if I did, I wouldn’t tell you! It’s possible, but I really enjoy the challenges that playing a frustrated and dissatisfied Edith offers.
Do you believe in happy ever after?
Yes!
Jessica Brown Findlay: Plays Lady Sybil
How old are you, and how old is Lady Sybil?
I’m 22 and Sybil is 21.
How would you describe Sybil?
She is far more complicated than she seems and yet has ideals that demand her to be more logical about the world.
How would you describe her relationship with her sisters?
She loves them both dearly, but Sybil’s very internal and actually finds it hard to talk openly to people about her true thoughts and feelings, so she can’t always be as honest with them as she wants to be.
Is she closer to Mary or Edith?
Mary, definitely. I can’t even tell you why, but they both feel so much, yet keep it all inside and struggle with the expectations people have.
How has that changed over the first two series and why?
Sybil is frustrated by Mary’s lecturing, feeling that she is being judgemental, but Sybil doesn’t know about what happened with Mr Pamuk. If she did, she might understand why Mary is being so protective. Inevitably, Sybil knows that Mary lectures her out of love.
Edith tried to ruin Mary’s reputation by revealing the real circumstances around Pamuk’s death. What drove her to do such a thing, and is it something she should ever be forgiven for?
I suppose that Edith was so in love with Patrick that she couldn’t bear Mary’s attitude towards the whole situation.
How does Sybil feel about Mary’s ability to make most men fall for her? She doesn’t seem to be jealous like Edith.
She just doesn’t look at any of that in the same way.
How would Sybil feel if she found out about Edith’s tryst?
I’m not sure. I think she would think it upsetting, but she would also understand. After all, they’re family!
Sybil’s elder sisters seem to have very pragmatic attitudes to love – how do these compare with Sybil’s? She doesn’t seem as interested in men.
She’s not really. She is so much more interested in how someone is and what they do, or will do, than who they are. She’s never been looked at as an object of desire, so has never had to deal with it. I just think she doesn’t give it the time of day… until she’s struck by it!
Why does Sybil allow herself to fall in love with Branson the chauffeur?
You can’t “allow” yourself to fall in love with anyone. It’s not something Sybil has a choice over, so when she does fall in love, when she lets her heart have a say, she realises that she’s loved him for years.
Do you think it’s wiser to follow your heart or your head?
Heart. Always heart. Is doesn’t always make the most sense, but love is anything but logical.
How do you think Sybil would cope today?
She’d love it!
Which of the sisters would cope the best?
Edith! She’s so cool, Edith.
Do you feel Sybil has ever really been in love?
I think the love she has for Branson is the greatest love she has felt to date.
Will Sybil ever find a happy ending?
Maybe. She needs more independence. She needs to really work out what it is she wants from life, but she’ll get there. She’s young.
Do you think she feels guilty about pursuing her feelings for Branson? Why does she do it?
He represents everything that will take her away from that house and that life and the restraints placed upon her.
Which one of the sisters’ attitudes most closely reflects your own?
Sybil. My head plays no role in my heart. For better, for worse.
Where would you like Sybil’s love life to go?
I’ll leave that to Julian Fellowes!
Do you believe in happy ever after?
Yes. Or else, what’s the point!
Michelle Dockery: Plays Lady Mary
How old are you, and how old is Lady Mary?
I’m 29 and Mary is 27.
How would you describe Mary?
Strong-willed but complex. She has this glacial façade, but underneath it, she’s terribly sensitive. The scene in which she’s told Matthew is engaged to Lavinia encapsulates her quite well. While there are other people in the room, she shows no feeling, but when it’s just her and the maid Anna she bursts into tears. Behind that wall she’s built up a tumult of emotion. The thing I love most about Mary is that she is not one of those people who needs to be liked. That confidence is very attractive.
Do you have siblings?
I’m the baby of three – though I don’t think my sisters would want me saying their ages in Radio Times! We don’t have any of that rivalry that there is between the Crawley sisters, but I certainly recognise that protectiveness that Mary exhibits towards Sybil as something that my oldest sister has towards me.
And her relationship with Edith?
Their rivalry has done damage to them both. Edith’s decision to reveal the truth about the death of Pamuk continues to have ramifications for the whole household, while Mary’ revenge – telling Strallen that Edith felt nothing for him – was horribly cruel. This series, the war has meant there are more important concerns and they’ve softened to each other a bit, but neither has ever apologised.
Do you think Mary deserved what Edith did?
No, she didn’t, but from what Edith overhears Mary telling Cora – “Why not concentrate on Edith? She needs all the help she can get” – it’s no wonder that Edith reacts the way she does.
What would she say about Edith’s tryst?
She’d love that gossip and in some ways find it comforting that Edith got carried away. But I also think that there would be some real sisterhood there and I wonder if Edith would really like to tell Mary. You’d be bursting to tell someone.
How has Mary changed over the first two series?
Mary isn’t quite as vicious as she was. I think she has grown up a lot and she knows she made such a mistake at the end of the first series turning Matthew down. I also think she’s very aware of her situation. Mary is in her late 20s and, by the standards of the day, she’s on the shelf. Most girls then were married in their early 20s.
Does that go some way to explain her relationship with Sir Richard Carlisle?
Perhaps. But I think she likes ruffling feathers by becoming involved with this man who is not “one of us”. He’s self-made, he’s a media mogul, he’s not aristocracy. I think he appeals to Mary’s rebellious side. You have to remember that Mary never does what she’s told. Every suitor plonked next to her at dinner she refused to pursue.
Are Mary and Carlisle in love?
I don’t think so. If Mary had met Carlisle before she’d met Matthew, she’d be happier. Carlisle represents everything she wanted originally – practicality, convenience – but now I do think she wants to marry for love, and she won’t get that from a marriage to Carlisle.
Do you think it’s wiser to follow your heart or your head?
Always my heart, and I think Mary feels the same. She would say head, but deep down, she knows its heart. One of the things that she admires about Anna is that Anna follows her heart without hesitation.
Could Mary ever have a happy ending?
She could, if she followed her heart.
Would that be with Matthew?
If she marries Matthew, that would tie everything up nicely. I love carrying that storyline because with it you carry the fate of Downton – whoever Matthew marries will become Queen of Downton – but I enjoy seeing unresolved love playing out. I’m a huge Mad Men fan and I love the Pete Campbell and Peggy Olson story for that very reason. The minute those unrequited stories become resolved, it becomes less interesting. And what’s interesting about Matthew and Mary is that it’s unrequited and complicated.
Do you think Mary would go behind Lavinia’s back to get back with Matthew?
Absolutely not, because she knows how much Lavinia loves him.
In what way do you think the role of women has changed since then, and how has that affected women’s relationship with men?
We take so many of our freedoms for granted nowadays – I can travel where I like, I can have a baby when I like, I can do any job I want – but I do think chivalry has been lost a little bit. Those old manners – such as men standing when women arrive at the dinner table or opening doors for you – are lovely, and it’s lovely when you see a man doing that today. But young men wouldn’t think about that for a second because it’s not the culture any more.
How do you think Mary would cope today?
Once she got over the culture shock, she’d be a society woman. Within the old aristocracy, she’d definitely be a mover and shaker.
Do you believe in happy ever after?
In fiction, yes. But not in real life, in the way I think you mean it. Happiness is one of the most important things in life but happiness is something you have to find in yourself – being who you are and accepting who you are – and no one can do that for you. I feel I’ve got to that stage, of being comfortable in my own skin.
