Froggatt busy since ‘Abbey’
For British actress Joanne Froggatt, it’s been a whirlwind since playing lady’s maid Anna Bates on “Downton Abbey,” which won her three Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe award.
Since the beloved PBS series ended, Froggatt has moved on from the mild-mannered Anna to roles that include a Victorian serial killer in the British miniseries “Dark Angel”; an edgy woman whose seemingly innocent date goes very wrong in the Sundance TV series “Liar”; a horrible stepmother in the film “Mary Shelley”; and an American grifter in the upcoming indie feature “A Crooked Somebody.”
The Mostly British Film Festival in San Francisco is screening “A Crooked Somebody,” about a conman who gets in over his head, and Froggatt will appear in person to be honored for her body of work. She will appear onstage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, before the 8:40 p.m. screening of “A Crooked Somebody” at the Vogue. Q: Do you like keeping busy? A: It’s been pretty much back-to-back in the few years after ‘Downton Abbey.’ As an actor, it’s great to be busy and to do different roles. I love accents. It makes you feel different than yourself. It’s like putting on a costume. Q: How did you end up playing a serial killer after Anna Bates? A: I started “Dark Angel” two or three days after finishing “Downton Abbey.” I wanted to do something completely different than Anna Bates. Then came this role as a serial killer. Oh, well, it was a chance to put my money where my mouth is. Q: You play an American grifter in your latest project. A: When I read the script for “A Crooked Somebody,” I thought it was brilliant and original. I loved the idea of a conman who gets embroiled in an incident that he can’t get himself out of. There’s a lot of dark humor. It’s a fun movie to watch. Q: What advice would you give an aspiring actor? A: Be persistent — in