chevron

2017 News in Review: What Downton Abbey Stars Are Up to Now

2017-12-21

bannerImage

Downton Abbey - Barrow & Patmore

Throughout December, take a trip down memory lane with us through a series of 2017 News in Review features. Here, we’ll look back at some of the best news articles that focused on the stars of your favourite VisionTV series.

Just because “Downton Abbey” proved to be one of the most revered television series of recent memory, that doesn’t mean those who starred in it are now resting on their laurels.

Rather, many series favourites have moved on to new and exciting ways to entertain audiences. However, not everyone has found the type of stable footing that might have been expected.

Downton Abbey S6E8

Downton Abbey Star Appearing in Toronto Theatre Production of Annie

From April 24 to May 27, 2018, Mrs. Patmore herself, Lesley Nicol, will star as Miss Hannigan in the 40th Anniversary West End production of “Annie,” the musical. This engagement will be staged at Toronto’s Ed Mirvish Theatre. Tickets are available now.

Shortly after this theatrical run was announced, Nicol appeared on ZoomerRadio for an enjoyable interview with The Happy Gang. [Click here to watch their chat]

Jeremy Swift

Jeremy Swift: From Downton Abbey to Dropping an Album

Best known for his time on “Downton Abbey” as Spratt (and for hinting at a Downton movie!), Jeremy Swift recently veered outside of the acting world to write, record and independently release his debut solo album, “Everything’s a Joke.”

Explained Swift during an interview with the Daily Mail: “I’m not really a rocker and I don’t think I’m having a mid-life crisis. I did hesitate because I’m 56 and I don’t want people to think I’m trying to exploit the fact I was in Downton.” [Click here for the full article]

What’s happening with the potential “Downton Abbey” movie?
Click here to find out!

Dan Stevens - Beast & Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey Star, Dan Stevens, Ate Up His Role in Beauty and the Beast

In case you didn’t recognize him beneath the epically designed costume, Dan Stevens (who played Matthew Crawley for three seasons) starred as Beast in Disney’s live action version of “Beauty and the Beast.”

“It was a pretty athletic job for me,” recalled Stevens when speaking Britain’s Radio Times magazine. “I was physically conditioning my legs to be on stilts for 12 hours a day and also conditioning the rest of me so that I didn’t waste away – I was losing so much fluid from sweating.”

He continued: “I would overheat, especially when we were dancing, so between takes there was a little tube that could be plugged in to ice-cold water to cool me down… I was honestly eating four roast dinners every day, just to keep any form of physicality.” [Click here for the full article]

Downton Abbey - S6E4

Rob James-Collier Suggests Downton Abbey Left him Typecast 

Even though he starred in 2017 horror flick, “The Ritual,” Rob James-Collier has had difficulty convincing some people in the entertainment industry to not see him as just a Thomas Barrow type. 

“I think audiences in the U.S. can identify quite easily with the quintessential English gent and English lady, whereas a neurotic, dark, gay character like Thomas is a hard thing to put into the American market,” said James-Collier in an interview with the Radio Times. “It can lead to typecasting.”

He continued: “Because Thomas Barrow is gay and is, essentially, the bad guy for much of the show, a lot of people within the industry can only see you as that. They might not be in a rush to see you as a heterosexual love interest. That takes time.” [Click here for the full article]

-Adam Grant

Downton Abbey S6 Finale

VisionTV airs a wide variety of powerful British series. Click here to see what we have in store for your viewing pleasure.

Vision NewsLetter

Sign up to get the latest news on your favorite shows exclusive content and more.