Apr 07, 2025 07:32 PM IST
Paul Giamatti has spoken about the emotional experience of reprising his role in ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ following Maggie Smith’s passing.
Actor Paul Giamatti has spoken about the emotional experience of reprising his role in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale following Maggie Smith‘s death in September last year. (Also Read: Tree planted in honour of Maggie Smith bore fruit on the day of her funeral, reveals Judi Dench)
Paul Giamatti on shooting Downton Abbey movie
As per Deadline, in a recent interview, the actor reflected on how the film honours Maggie’s legacy and said, “It was not the same without her, but it felt very much like in her honor in some way. Everybody was still acting in her spirit.”
Paul, who initially appeared in the show’s Season 4 Christmas special, was surprised to be asked back for the film. He teased that his character, Harold Levinson, has a significant role in the movie, and said, “The interesting thing for me was that they even asked me at all because I was like, ‘I don’t have an important character in this story,'” as quoted by the publication.
About Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
The film features a star-studded cast, including Joely Richardson, Alessandro Nivola, and Simon Russell Beale, as well as mainstays from the original series.
Executive producer Gareth Neame earlier revealed that the movie will include a “meaningful” tribute to Maggie, whose character, Violet Crawley, passed away in the previous film. “The fact that Dame Maggie herself has now passed away since that time, I do think, has given a real added poignancy to a story that we would have planned anyway,” he told TVLine while promoting Peacock’s The Day of the Jackal.
The film is set for theatrical release on September 12. It is a follow-up of the British historical drama television series set in the early 20th century, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. In 2019, the first Downton Abbey film was released, and Downton Abbey: A New Era was released in 2022.
