Dame Maggie Smith Confirms Departure From 'Downtown Abbey'
Veteran actress Maggie Smith has said she plans to leave British period drama, "Downtown Abbey" after the end of Season 5.
The "Harry Potter" actress has voiced her intention to depart from the critically acclaimed PBS period drama, "Downtown Abbey" when season 5 comes to a close. This news follows rumors the series was preparing to wind down after the show's writer, Julian Fellowes, had reportedly left the show in preparation for a move to New York.
"They say this is the last one, and I can't see how it could go on," Smith, 80, told The Sunday Times. "I mean, I certainly can't keep going. To my knowledge, I must be 110 by now. We're into the late 1920s."
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Smith, who is set to permanently hang up her Edwardian costume soon, plays the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley, whose tough personality and dry wit have drawn countless viewers to the show. Her character has been with the series since its pilot in 2010.
Show creator, Julian Fellowes is currently working on another period drama, "The Gilded Age," that's reportedly set in 19th century New York. Fellowes and "Downtown Abbey" executive producer, Gareth Neame, have not confirmed whether the show will continue past its sixth season.
News has also been released that some of the cast of "Downtown Abbey" have been casting around for work and have sent their agents to look for projects for when the summer season winds down. Others, like Allen Leech, who plays Tom Branson, have moved to the U.S. presumably to work on a Hollywood project.
