Paul Giamatti Describes Downton Abbey 3 as Tribute to Maggie Smith

Paul Giamatti has spoken about returning to the Downton Abbey franchise for the upcoming third film, describing the production as shaped by the absence of Dame Maggie Smith, who died in September 2024.

In an interview with People, Giamatti said the cast continued working with her memory in mind. “It was not the same without her, but it felt very much like in her honor in some way,” he said. “She certainly still feels present through the whole thing. Not having her there is obviously a huge loss, but everybody was still acting in her spirit.”

Giamatti plays Harold Levinson, the brother of Cora Crawley, a role he first portrayed during the show’s 2013 Christmas special. Although his initial appearance was limited to one episode, Giamatti said he was surprised to be invited back. “The interesting thing for me was that they even asked me at all because I was like, ‘I don’t have an important character in this story.’ But what’s funny is my character has a very significant role. He does something very significant in the movie,” he said.

Production on Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale brought together much of the original cast, including Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Joanne Froggatt, Allen Leech, Penelope Wilton, Lesley Nicol, Brendan Coyle, Michael Fox, Raquel Cassidy, Kevin Doyle, Harry Hadden-Paton, Sophie McShera, and Douglas Reith. New cast members include Joely Richardson, Alessandro Nivola, Simon Russell Beale, and Arty Froushan.

Smith’s character, Violet Crawley—the Dowager Countess of Grantham—died in the 2022 film Downton Abbey: A New Era. The latest film includes scenes involving mourning for the Dowager, which now reflect Smith’s passing. Executive producer Gareth Neame previously commented that the story took on added meaning after her death. “The loss of the Dowager… now feels far more significant that you see actors playing characters mourning the family matriarch. But I also see actors mourning the matriarch of the show,” Neame said last year.

Giamatti recalled his brief time working directly with Smith. “Working with her the first time around was one of the best things ever,” he said. “And I didn’t even really get to do that much with her.”

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is scheduled to open in theaters on September 12.