Downton Abbey returns to TV in its first movie.
The long-awaited Downton Abbey movie screens on Sky Movies Premiere on Sunday. The film revolves around a visit by the King and Queen of England and the rising tensions between the Royal household and the Crawley staff. James Rampton caught up with Hugh Bonneville (Lord Grantham) just as the movie was about to be released in the UK.
TV favourite Hugh Bonneville returns to TV this week as the buttoned-up Lord Grantham in the Downton Abbey movie and, if the 56-year-old actor has his way, it won’t be the last time viewers see him in the role.
“It could run and run. After all, how many Star Trek movies are there?” he asks.
Bonneville first stepped into the shoes of Robert Crawley in 2010 as the series opened with the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and the death of heir-presumptive James Crawley, the intended husband of Lady Mary.
With the series focusing on the upstairs/downstairs life of the Crawleys and their servants, it is hardly surprising that after a decade in the role, the actor has been giving much thought as to whether the elitism and the disconnect between the rich and the poor depicted in Downton Abbey reflects society today.
“As a construct, the idea of a feudal system is not a great one, is it?” he says.
“It’s true that one of the causes of the Russian Revolution is the fact that at the end of the 19th century, aristocrats in that country often owned a million serfs each.
“You could argue that we have got something similar to that now,” Bonneville says. “If you have got cash, you have got serfs.”
As you can see, Bonneville is an engaging person to interview with many intelligent, thoughtful views.
In that vein, he assesses the chaotic current state of British politics.
“Oh God, the mess. Yes, we had some ups and downs in the past, but our parents’ post-war generation handed us a Britain that had a sense of identity, purpose and confidence.
“We could do things like trying to get on the property ladder – good luck with that these days.”
Bonneville adds that, “Now I feel ashamed of what we are handing to our children’s generation – a broken political system and a national identity crisis. God knows where we’re going to be in five years’ time. Our civic voice is non-existent now and that’s very depressing.”
The exasperation clear in his voice, he continues, “Our children’s generation need a new approach to politics. Perhaps you do that through proper grassroots town-hall politics that then cascade upwards.”
Certain critics may question why an actor is opining on such matters, but Bonneville vigorously defends the right of creative people to speak out about social issues that are troubling them.
“People in the entertainment industry aren’t allowed a voice,” he asserts. “If you say anything, it’s, ‘Shut up, you have got no right to say anything because you act in plays’. Well, I’m also a flipping voter. If I feel passionate about something, I don’t see why I should not be allowed to express it. I’m no
less qualified than the next ranter, although I don’t rant.”
However, he adds with a knowing grin, “If you do say something to a journalist, you can say 28 sentences, but only one sentence will be quoted and that will be the wrong one.
“So it’s easier to shut up and just do the gardening.”
“If I feel passionate about something, I don’t see why I should not be allowed to express it. I’m no less qualified than the next ranter, although I don’t rant.” – Hugh Bonneville
The next major project on the horizon for Bonneville may well be Paddington 3.
“I saw Paddington producer David Heyman the other day, and he said, ‘We will only do the third movie if the script is as good as the first two. There is no point in doing it for its own sake.’ So with a fair wind, there could be another one before the children have beards.”
Bonneville stops to ponder just why the first two Paddington movies were such a success.
“They struck a chord because they’re about kindness. They’re about people reaching out the hand of friendship when others need help. “Ultimately, they’re about compassion and, goodness me, we could all do with a bit of that at that moment.”