Having made the decision that Sybil would die because Jessica Brown Findlay wanted to leave the show, we had to decide what to do with Branson. One option was to send him back to Ireland, maybe leaving the baby, and occassionaly he could return as a guest star.🌟
But we all felt Allen Leech was a great asset to the show. He is also an attractive man, and knowing we were about to lose one attractive man, we didn't really want to lose two.
More than this, his character is a bridge between the people below stairs and the people above. He has been at different points in the drama on equal terms with both groups, making him unique to the house.
Having brought that about believably (I hope), it felt foolish to throw it away.
-Julian Fellowes
Source: 'Downton Abbey, The Complete Scripts', Season Three.
Jim Carter with wife Imelda Staunton and their dog Molly in the garden of their London home. Photo: Andrew Crowley/Geoff Pugh/The Telegraph
Although I only live seven stops from Westminster on the Jubilee Line, I’m lucky enough to have a garden, and spending time in it with my wife [Imelda Staunton, currently starring as Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown] is one of the major pleasures in life.
-Jim Carter interview: ‘Children need to put their phones away and get out into the garden’ The Downton Abbey actor reveals why he is campaigning for gardening to be added to the national curriculum, The Telegraph Sept 16, 2023
*Carter and Staunton are patrons of Greenfingers, a children’s hospice garden charity.
Jimmy and Thomas sitting across from each other before the fire in the servant’s hall in those rocking chairs. Ankles side by side or even crossing each other. Jimmy is slouched in the chair, near asleep as the clock ticks on the mantle. And Thomas is softly reading to him from a collection of Christina Rossetti poems. His words flowed like music and Jimmy bathed himself in it.
But also think one eye cracking open when Thomas stopped reading, seeing the man rubbing at his eyes at this late of an hour and Jimmy is sitting up. Disentangling their ankles and hearing his spine pop. He needs to get Thomas up to bed, they need sleep. And so they both make their way up the stairs after curbing the fire and coals. Before departing to their rooms they have a small moment of saying goodnight. All sleepy and sore from the day.
Thomas has Jimmy plastered to his front, yawning and hugging him around the middle. And Thomas smiles, hums richly in his chest and returns the goodnight hug. It's affection and they both bask in it. Being touch starved is for tossers. Having a healthy appreciation for it is for them.
They're open and welcoming to each other. And it's evident in their teasing and their downtime.
It is now way too late for me to be on Tumblr as I should already be sleeping but here's something I made tonight...Just a little something to make up for my lack of writing in the past few weeks due to being busy and feeling absolutely uninspired when it comes to actually writing...It is nothing great but I suppose that's fine when I've had about zero braincells left while making this....Eheh 🤫
Hugh Bonneville Jim Carter & I with @/Jason__Watkins & @/clarabetsy at a screening of their intensely personal film about Maudie, the daughter they lost to #sepsis. It’s an incredibly powerful account of living with grief and learning about a killer disease. Please watch. #InMemoryOfMaudie
Somehow Mister got me a signed copy of the (first) Downton Abbey movie script. I asked him how, and he just smiled enigmatically and said, “Do you really want me to reveal the magic behind this?”
I didn’t press him, though I have theories. Several. 😊
He also got me two identical silver spoons. I already used one this morning - for coffee, and not for tea, but I don’t think Mr. Carson would mind. ❤️❤️❤️