Downton Abbey producer reveals Maggie Smith’s reaction to her exit
A Downton Abbey producer has shed a light on Maggie Smith’s departure from the franchise!
The legendary actress, who has also starred in films such as Harry Potter and Sister Act, exited the Downton franchise in the second movie.
At the end of Downton Abbey: A New Era, it was confirmed to viewers that Maggie’s character – Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham – had passed away from a terminal illness.
Now, as production continues on the upcoming third Downton Abbey film, one of the movie’s producers has revealed the 89-year-old actress’ reaction to Violet’s death.
In an interview with MailOnline, Gareth Neame opened up about the decision to kill the Dowager.
“This was a terribly easy one, because [Maggie] used to find the whole thing so draining at times,” he recalled.
“Every year, when another series would come round, she'd say: ‘Oh can't you just kill me off?’ So when we eventually did, I think part of her might have been quite relieved,” he added.
Downton Abbey was broadcast for five series on ITV, before creator Julian Fellowes made the decision to end the show in 2016. Then, in 2019, fans were brought back to Downton for its first movie adaptation, followed by the release of its second film in 2022.
Speaking about the choice to end Downton's time on TV, Gareth admitted that the decision was influenced by the cast.
“We'd spend a third to half a year in production. I knew that wasn't going to be sustainable forever. The actors wanted to do other things,” he confessed.
After months of speculation, Downton viewers were thrilled on May 13 when Focus Features and Carnival Films officially announced that a third film is in production.
The movie will star many of the franchise’s most beloved stars, including the likes of Hugh Bonneville, Joanne Froggatt, Michelle Dockery, Allen Leech and Laura Carmichael.
Although the official title for Downton Abbey 3 has yet to be unveiled, it has since been confirmed that it is set to be released in cinemas on September 12, 2025.
