With the passing of legendary British actress Dame Maggie Smith in September, the Downton Abbey franchise faced a significant loss as she had played the beloved Countess Violet, who died at the end of the last film, “Downton Abbey: A New Age”. Now, Downton Abbey executive producer Gareth Neame has announced that the upcoming, as-yet-untitled third film will pay tribute to both the character and Smith herself.
Smith, who starred in the “Downton Abbey” TV series and its first two films, brought the character of Countess Violet to life. Gareth Neame disclosed that “Downton Abbey 3 will pay tribute to the ‘end of an era’ with the death of the Countess, an era made even more meaningful by the death of Oscar-winning actress Maggie Smith.” He added, “I think the fact that Dame Maggie died added real sadness to the story we had planned. Now, it feels more real and meaningful to see the actors mourning the matriarch of the show.” Fans of the franchise can look forward to seeing how this fitting tribute will be incorporated into the next installment of the much-loved period drama.
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