Adverts have been teasing us for a couple of weeks now, telling us that Downton Abbey is ‘coming soon’ but for many of us, it’s not soon enough – especially since Matthew Crawley’s death left us all in tears on Christmas Day.
Red magazine have caught up with Michelle Dockery who plays Matthew’s widow in the series. She is joined by her sister Jo who is also an actress.
Michelle tells Red that as soon as she decided acting was for her, her mind was made up. So much so, in fact, that she moved schools to somewhere with a better drama department at the age of 12.
“I am very decisive,” she tells the magazine. “Once I make my mind up, that’s it. I was at the same school as Louise and Jo but just wasn’t happy there. I felt like I didn’t fit in.”
One thing she’s learned being an actress is that you can’t plan too far in advance, as you can never guarantee your next pay check. “You have no control over anything,” she says. “In my twenties, I was a real worrier, always thinking about where my next job was coming from. I got to a point where I thought, if I carry on like this, I’m not going to enjoy it. So I had to learn to get better at living in the moment.”
No one could have anticipated the huge success of Downton Abbey, both here and in the States. Dockery and her sister even attended the Met Gala together earlier this year – one of the most exclusive events in the world.
She recalls Gwyneth Paltrow approaching her to tell her she was a big fan of the show: “I watched her in Sliding Doors when I was 16 and cut off my hair to be like her, so for her to come over and talk to me is just...” she says. “I still feel on the outside of it all in that world. I’ll never get used to it.” Subscribe and save on a Red magazine subscription today.
Posted by Amy Power.
