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Hugh Bonneville has revealed that the third Downton Abbey film – which is being billed as the franchise's last – will be a fitting tribute to the late Maggie Smith.

Speaking on Virgin Radio UK, Bonneville revealed more about the movie, saying: "We finished a third – and I think probably final – Downton Abbey film this summer, which will come out next September. That is a wonderful sort of closing off of all the stories, so it’s a proper film for the fans."

He went on: "It’s very much set in the house and saying goodbye to all these characters and we obviously say goodbye to Dame Maggie, which was very poignant on screen and now in real life. She’ll be sorely missed. But the final film will obviously be a great lasting tribute to her."

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DOWNTON ABBEY REWATCH 2024 season 2, episode 1

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Maggie Smith as Lady Violet Crawley (Downton Abbey)

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Happy 14th birthday Downton Abbey // 26.09.2010 // original Downstairs cast

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DOWNTON ABBEY REWATCH 2024 season 1, episode 5

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Tributes to Maggie from the Downton Cast and Crew (Part 2):

Part 1

Hugh Bonneville (in addition to his previous comment):

Elizabeth McGovern:

Joanne Froggatt: "Today we lost a true legend. It’s hard to find the words to pay tribute to the iconic Dame Maggie Smith. I shared a screen with her on very few occasions but was fortunate enough to be in her company on many. She truly was a trailblazer, with the sharpest wit, the greatest talent, the naughtiest sense of humour, she was a force to be reckoned with. She had a charisma that you felt would live for ever (in many ways it will) and underneath all of that a huge heart. Thank you Maggie, for always being supportive and kind to me, for putting many a smile on my face with that sharp wit that no one could match, and for showing the rest of us just how it’s done.

Rest in peace Dame Maggie, my thoughts are with your beautiful family. 🖤"

Lily James:

Tom Cullen: "I remember a very specific part of the conversation Maggie and I were having when this photo was taken. Maggie had been doing a big and challenging scene where she is reunited with her old flame played by Rade Serbedzija. I was stood at the back, out of frame and able to observe these incredible actors at their work. But for whatever reason Maggie felt like she wasn’t getting the scene right. Maggie took the smallest moment, came back and next take, simply, effortlessly, delivered a masterclass. She was extraordinary. The director called “cut” and we moved on. I was spellbound. During our conversation at the window, I asked Maggie what she did in order for her to so swiftly and precisely produce such an elevated performance. I remember her looking me in the eye and saying “Oh darling! I was just holding in a fart!”. I remember us both bursting out laughing. I really wished that she had been just holding in a fart but of course that wasn’t the real truth, the real truth was that she worked tirelessly her entire career to make that scene look easy.

I only worked with her for a short while, but I feel so blessed to have had that experience. She was tough, demanded the best but making Maggie laugh felt like winning the lottery.

My heart goes out to her family, friends, her Downton family and all those she touched with her sharp, agile and acerbic brilliance.

We lost an absolute giant today 💔"

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Lesley Nicol: "It's a very close group of people so we're all devastated to think she's not around any more.' [...] "I'd never worked with someone of that calibre, and I thought, I don't know what I'll say to her, it will be really tricky, God she'll probably be really grand. She was not looking for anyone to be scared of her, or in awe of her, she just wanted to be in the gang [...] she was in with the crowd, and just very happy to be part of it all."

Jeremy Swift: "An honour to serve you Maggie."

Lady Carnarvon: "I never saw her on set with a little script, she knew it before she got here [to Highclere]. She worked so hard, to get up at silly o' clock... and to wear corsets for hours on end." [Highclere Castle's post]

Harriet Walter: "She was a true comedian, but also I've seen her playing some incredibly heartfelt, deep, sad roles, which is the huge range of an actress like her. If she was merely funny or merely tragic, she wouldn't quite have made that sort of impression."

Anna Mary Scott Robbins: "I C O N 🤍 Oh Maggie you will be missed 💔"

(special thanks to @lovelikewildness for helping to compile)

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Tributes to Maggie from the Downton Cast and Crew:

Julian Fellowes: “Maggie Smith was a truly great actress and we were more than fortunate to be part of the last act in her stellar career.  She was a joy to write for, subtle, many-layered, intelligent, funny and heart-breaking.  Working with her has been the greatest privilege of my career, and I will never forget her.”

Gareth Neame: "Maggie Smith was one of the greatest actors of our time and a much-loved member of the Downton family. In Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Maggie created one of the finest screen performances we have seen across six seasons of the television series and two movies, spanning twelve years. The entire cast and crew of Downton Abbey considered it an enormous honor to work with her, she was an actress of such stature whose incredible talent could encompass high comedy and full-blown tragedy. Off-screen she was particularly close to the cast who played the other members of her family and was very generous and full of encouragement for the younger actors. It is personally poignant that my late grandfather directed one of her finest performances in ’The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ for which she won her first Academy Award. Jean Brodie and Violet Grantham are but two creations in an extraordinary career spanning decades and delighting audiences across the globe. There is only one Maggie Smith and she will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with her family.”

Hugh Bonneville: "Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent. She was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances. My condolences to her boys and wider family.”

Michelle Dockery: "There was no one quite like Maggie. I feel tremendously lucky to have known such a maverick. She will be deeply missed and my thoughts are with her family."

Dan Stevens | Jessica Brown Findlay:

Alastair Bruce: "What a great privilege it was to work with her & play a small part in her creation of Violet Countess of Grantham. A titan of the filmocracy, Maggie embodied the aristocracy with absolute ease: she made us gasp, shudder and laugh. She was #TheBestOfThem"

Peter Egan: "Very sad to see that this giant talent has fallen"

Amy Nuttall:

Charlie Watson:

And surely more to come in the following days (and some I've likely missed already, my apologies).

Some from official accounts affiliated with the show and movies:

Peacock's video

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No one can deny how much Maggie Smith was a part of Downton Abbey, and certainly played a role in its popularity and success. While Violet was most known for her humorous quips ("what is a week-end" is still iconic), Maggie also played Violet with a deep gravitas that demonstrated a master class in acting. RIP Dame Maggie, you will always be one of the great ones 💔

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DOWNTON ABBEY REWATCH 2024 season 1, episode 4

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Anna and Bates in The Costumes of Downton Abbey

(Usual TW applies to Anna's chapter, although just a mention this time)

I only just got around to looking at this, as it is a behemoth of a coffee table book. Given the topic, it does obviously definitely lean more towards upstairs, but the downstairs characters do get their chapters. It obviously doesn't cover every outfit wore by even the leads of the show, but it is a nice overview. There are a few contradictions (and even a few errors) but that's common with these books. While it covers the TV show and the films, it's kinda an odd mix on what it does cover, and to be honest, I feel like it favors the latter series if only so that it's more of the same costume designer as the movies. It focuses more on the lady's wear, and most of the men have super short sections. It's also oddly organized (these books often are) so some things are by character in their pages, and some are grouped together (e.g. weddings). Some of the stills are really nice to see in quality print, but I think it's really only something for die-hards even if it's written more for casual fans (it's a whooping US $60 btw).

(Also it says that Tom and Lucy's baby is a boy, btw)

(The wedding pages are earlier in the books but I uploaded them in the wrong order but I cannot move them, thanks Tumblr)

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well now we wait

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Confirmation from the Barker boys: "And that’s a WRAP! 💙💙🎬🎬"

(supposedly Highclere's instagram said something too, but it must have been an story that's expired... you can tell I don't check Instatgram all that often anymore whoops)

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Alastair Bruce (Downton's historical adviser) reports that filming for DA movie 3 has in fact finished now (and he does confirm a cameo).

I'm going to assume that they filmed more similar to the first films schedule (i.e. rather quickly), but now... we have to wait.