'Downton Abbey': The Cast In Real Life

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'Downton Abbey' Cast

Downton Abbey was produced from 2010 to 2015 by the British TV station ITV. The period drama ran for six series and had an enormous 11 million viewers on average per episode. Downton Abbey has won countless Golden Globes, Emmys, BAFTAs and other awards.

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The 'Downton Abbey' Cast and Julian Fellowes

Downton Abbey was one of the most successful British series of all time. The series is set at the beginning of the 20th century and reflects the social, economic and political upheavals of the era. Downton Abbey follows the lives of the aristocratic "Crawley" family and their domestic help. Screenwriter Julian Fellowes placed a lot of emphasis on representing the era in the most realistic way possible and in painstaking detail.

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Hugh Bonneville

Hugh Bonneville played the head of the family "Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham". Bonneville was already a household name, having appeared in box office hits such as Notting Hill and Mansfield Park in the 1990s. He also starred alongside Matt Damon and George Clooney in The Monuments Men in 2014.

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Elizabeth McGovern

Elizabeth McGovern played "Robert Crawley's" wife "Lady Cora Crawley," mother to "Mary," "Edith," and "Sybil". Elizabeth McGovern is originally from the United States, just like her character in the series. The actress was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award for her role in Downton Abbey.

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Michelle Dockery

Michelle Dockery played "Lady Mary Crawley" one of the main characters in the series. "Mary" is "Robert" and "Cora Crawley's" eldest daughter. Downton Abbey was Michelle's big breakthrough. She has won the SAG Award twice for her role as "Lady Mary" and has been nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe several times. She now stars as "Letty Raines" on the TV show Good Behaviour.

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Laura Carmichael

Laura Carmichael played "Lady Edith," the middle "Crawley" sister. Her role in Downton Abbey was her first after graduating from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. In 2016 she also starred in the ITV series Marcella and the film A United Kingdom.

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Joanne Froggatt

Joanne Froggatt played "Anna Bates," "Lady Mary's" personal maid. Froggatt won a Golden Globe for her role in Downton Abbey and was nominated three times for an Emmy Award.

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Phyllis Logan

Phyllis Logan played the housekeeper "Mrs Hughes". The actress has starred in countless TV shows and movies over the years, including Silent Witness, Wallander, and Lovejoy.

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Jim Carter

Jim Carter played head butler "Mr. Carson". He is a household name, having starred in numerous Hollywood productions such as The Golden Compass, Alice in Wonderland and Shakespeare in Love. Carter was nominated for several awards for his role in Downton Abbey.

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Maggie Smith

Oscar-winning actress Maggie Smith is probably the most famous member of the cast. The British actress played "Lady Violet Crawley," who is "Robert Crawley's" mother. She has starred in a vast array of films including The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Quartet. The talented actress also plays "Minerva McGonagall" in the much-loved Harry Potter film series.