'Downton Abbey' has been about romance rather than sex: Hugh Bonneville
'Downton Abbey' has been about romance rather than sex: Hugh Bonneville
Hugh Bonneville plays Lord Grantham with grace and style
As Downton Abbey premieres its final season, After Hrs talks to actor Hugh Bonneville on what makes the series so addictive
Lord Grantham is one of the most multi-layered characters in Downton Abbey.
Lord Grantham is one of the most multi-layered characters in Downton Abbey. Played with a lot of dignity and grace by Hugh Bonneville, the series stunningly depicts his evolution from being a 20th century aristocrat firmly rooted to traditions of the past to a pragmatic patriarch slowly embracing modernity. Robert may have had a lot of follies and taken wrong decisions, which impacted the running of the property but in the end, we admire his compassion, fortitude and goodness of the heart.
Living in a scenario where he's surrounded by a panoply of headstrong female protagonists - his formidable mother Dowager Countess, American wife Cora and daughter - the complicated Lady Mary - his character beautifully strikes a balance between being a thoughtful father and a considerate son and a loving husband.
Did he envision such a success at the outset? How was it shooting constantly in thick tweeds and stiff collars and most importantly, how much has Robert rubbed off on to him? Over to the charming man...
Lord Grantham is one of the multi-layered protagonists on the show. He has moments of strength and weaknesses. How challenging was it to do justice to the writing?
It's been a pleasure from start to finish. Mr Bennet from Pride and Prejudice comes to mind when one thinks of Robert. He's lost one of his daughters Sybil, which has also been a loss to the whole Crawley family. Over a period of time, he sees his other two daughters - Mary and Edith as grown-up women and not as silly girls. I have been true to the writing as much as possible. Robert comes across as good in the end despite all his faults.
How was it working with Maggie Smith, who plays the sharp-tongue matriarch on the show?
Julian Fellowes enjoyed writing for Maggie Smith, who plays a razor-sharp tongued woman but also has a deep heart. She's a woman with many parts - in the last seasons, we understand that she's lonely in old age and has a past. She also becomes a companion to cousin Isobel.
Did you anticipate such a success when you read the script at the outset?
When I read the script first, I was completely hooked to the 10 to 15 characters, and I would imagine what happens to them next. A lot of people binge watch the show - either they download it or watch it on the DVD to know what happens next.
Having played the character for so long, how much has Lord Grantham rubbed off on to you?
I hope not. I don't live in a huge house with many servants. I have enjoyed playing Robert. Despite all his faults, his compassion stands out. I share his compassion. However, I'd love to meet him at a party and enjoy a half-an-hour conversation.
Did Dan Stevens who played Matthew Crawley departure dent the show's popularity in some way?
I don't think so. There was a lot of emotional reaction. None of us contracted after the third season. It's easy to kill the downstairs staff as they may leave to work in another household but the upstairs characters could not be axed. The fans' reactions at Dan's departure just proved how much they loved the show. It also opened new avenues - a slew of gorgeous men to tempt Lady Mary. Don't get me wrong, we got long well. It's a shame he left but it gave the show a new lease of life.
What can we expect in the new season?
From Robert's point of view, there's a prospect of quite significant change on horizon. He visits a neighbouring friend who's selling the family's silver, heirlooms to keep the capital afloat. Robert is willing to adapt to the changing times as the same fate could befall Downton. In the past, Robert has resisted change but now he wants to adapt - cut down the staff and downsize Downton. It also focuses on Carson and Mrs Hughes as a married couple, Daisy advancing herself from the kitchen chores, Edith running a magazine and Mary's steps into the future with the right man.
The show has 20's fashion yet there's something current and modern about the styling. Comment.
I grew up looking at sepia pictures of my grandparents and how colourful, vivid and rich they were. The show's style evolves from 1912 to 1925 - the women's corsets started to come off and from being buttoned up, women embraced flapper style. However, men's style didn't change much - tailcoats, jackets and hunting outfits. Everything was beautifully researched, the debutante ball where Rose is being presented was a stunning episode. However, I don't enjoy stiff white collars, it's like you have a pole up your back when you sit down to eat. All in all, the show had a degree of modernity - from the introduction of electricity and telephone in the early seasons to the arrival of refrigerators (which has Mrs Patmore in a tizzy) and hair dryers in the last season.
We live in an era of Kardashians and reality TV's in-your-face sex. Despite all that, what was the addictive quality of the show which made it work?
I was surprised when the show travelled overseas. Downton has been about romance rather than sex, tension than violence. Robert also doesn't express his emotions and he's not upfront. Of course, there was a horrible attack on Anna, there's a nasty character like Thomas but you sympathise with him. We got a number of letters which stated how grandparents, parents and children watched it together. From grandparents to eight-year-old fans - the show has found a universal audience. It's a fictional world where mature love is explored, for example, Isobel Crawley and Lord Merton.
Do you think the attack on Anna could have been avoided?
I didn't create the show. You didn't see the attack but saw how characters dealt with it afterwards. Sadly in this day and age, there's enormous strain on relationships - guilt, mistrust which was handled delicately by Brendan Coyle and Joanne Froggatt. Julian Fellowes handled it with consideration and respect.