The journey to fame for the stars of Downton Abbey was far from typical. Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Brendan Coyle, Jim Carter, and Rob James-Collier each followed surprising paths before finding success in acting.
Hugh Bonneville’s Unexpected Path
Hugh Bonneville always loved acting but considered it merely a hobby. “I enjoyed acting, but I never imagined it as a profession,” Bonneville told The Big Issue. “I thought I’d pursue something practical, like law. Medicine was out because I couldn’t handle needles.”
His perspective changed dramatically when he joined the National Youth Theatre, which led him to reconsider acting as a viable career.
Laura Carmichael’s Early Career
Before gaining fame, Laura Carmichael worked as a receptionist while attending auditions. In 2014, at a VIP party for Raimund Berthold, Carmichael shared that she managed the phones for Berthold’s partner, Paul.
“I worked as a secretary in a doctor’s surgery before Downton Abbey,” Carmichael told the Evening Standard. “The job was flexible, allowing me to run off to auditions.”
Brendan Coyle’s Initial Career Plans
Brendan Coyle initially planned to follow his father’s career as a butcher. “I used to watch my father work in his shops, but I didn’t enjoy it,” Coyle explained to What’s on Stage.
“I thought acting might be an easier job, though I also dreamed of being in a band. I’d be Bono if I could sing, but acting was my fallback.”
Jim Carter’s Academic Turn
Despite his current acting acclaim, Jim Carter once studied law at the University of Sussex. He led the university’s Drama Society but eventually left to join a fringe theatre group in Brighton. “I was on a different path until I followed my passion for acting,” Carter recalls.
Rob James-Collier’s Working-Class Roots
Rob James-Collier, from Manchester, worked as a bricklayer’s laborer and in a factory before becoming an actor. He told Radio Times, “Working these tough jobs gave me a strong drive to succeed. It made me appreciate acting even more.”
His decision to pursue acting initially surprised his family. “Coming from a working-class background with no theatrical connections, deciding to be an actor was a big leap,” James-Collier said. “My mother supported me from the start, and my father, despite his initial concerns, backed my decision.”
These stars’ diverse backgrounds highlight their unique journeys to Downton Abbey, showing that sometimes the road to success is as varied as the roles they play.
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