Downton Abbey star Lesley Nicol, who played Beryl Patmore in the hit series, has opened up about her relationship with the late Maggie Smith
Lesley Nicol, known for her role as Beryl Patmore in the fan-favorite series Downton Abbey, joined hosts Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond on the UK talk show This Morning ahead of the upcoming film Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.
She spoke about her relationship with the late Maggie Smith. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is set to hit theaters on Sept. 12, marking the end of the beloved Downton Abbey movie franchise. The original Downton Abbey film premiered in 2019, followed by A New Era in 2022.
Maggie Smith played the character Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, from 2010 to 2015 and reprised her role in two films. Violet Crawley’s story ended with the second film, coinciding with the tragic passing of actress Maggie Smith in September 2024. The fan-favorite story is based on a real lifestyle, but the story isn’t quite matching up.
Executive producer Gareth Neame confirmed that the third film would pay tribute to both the character and Smith herself, reports the Mirror US.
Lesley and Maggie started their journey on the popular series at the same time, and during her appearance on This Morning, Lesley shared: “He wrote 18 leading characters because it was a proper ensemble.”
“And in the middle of it, you’ve got a world-famous star, Maggie Smith, who never wanted to be special or different at all. She wanted to be part of the gang.”
Alison then asked: “You didn’t speak to her for the first, was it six months? You didn’t actually speak to her?”.
Lesley then inquired whether Alison was referring to real life or the show, to which she responded: “In real life.
“Yeah, probably,” Lesley chuckled. “I was a bit intimidated by her, but eventually, we developed wonderful conversations,” as she confessed to being starstruck.
“In the show, I don’t believe I ever uttered a word to her,” Lesley went on. “I don’t think I did.”
Alison then quipped that Maggie enjoyed a “tipple,” as Lesley began discussing how the cast threw a wild party and everyone ended up diving into the pool.
Maggie Smith tragically passed away in September 2024. The Academy Award-winning actress and Harry Potter legend died peacefully in the hospital, surrounded by her loved ones.
In a statement released through their representative, they said: “It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith. She passed away peacefully in the hospital early this morning, Friday, Sept. 27.
“An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.
“We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”
