The upcoming Downton Abbey 3 movie, set to release on September 12, will honor the late Dame Maggie Smith with a tribute to both her iconic character, the Dowager Countess, and to Smith herself. The actress, who portrayed the beloved matriarch on both the Downton Abbey TV series and in the franchise’s two films, passed away in September. Her character, the Dowager Countess, was written out in Downton Abbey: A New Era, where she died at the conclusion of the film.
Executive producer Gareth Neame shared that the third film would incorporate a tribute to Smith, saying it would be a “meaningful” acknowledgment of both the character and the actress. In an interview with TVLine while promoting Peacock’s The Day of the Jackal, Neame explained, “The fact that Dame Maggie herself has now passed away since that time has given a real added poignancy to a story that we would have planned anyway.” He added, “The loss of the Dowager feels far more significant now that we’re seeing actors portray characters mourning the family matriarch. But it also feels like the actors are mourning the matriarch of the show, which makes it feel more genuine and meaningful.”
Neame described Smith’s passing as “the end of an era,” acknowledging that her loss would be profoundly felt by both the Downton Abbey cast and crew. “We will never see the like of Dame Maggie Smith ever again,” he said. He also promised that the film would reflect the “huge respect” the cast and crew held for the actress, which would be evident in the upcoming movie.
Throughout her career, Smith earned widespread acclaim, including three Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe for her portrayal of the Dowager Countess. Before Downton Abbey, she won Academy Awards for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and California Suite, and received Oscar nominations for Travels With My Aunt, A Room With a View, and Gosford Park, which was also written by Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey.
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