While Lady Edith — the middle Crawley sister — was seen as the odd sister out in the early days, Laura Carmichael made sure that the character came into her own. During the “Downton Abbey” series, Edith stepped into the professional spotlight, not only redefining gendered expectations of work, but also establishing herself as a bonafide journalistic force. That spirit and sense of determination is back in “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” and ahead of the film’s premiere, we asked Carmichael what she thought about Edith’s professional ambitions making it onto the big screen.
“I was really pleased to see [Lady] Edith find her role again as a writer, and to see that she’s still got that drive even when she’s become a mother again,” Carmichael told us, joining the interview with co-star Allen Leech. “She’s super happy in her marriage, but she still wants to work. I was really pleased to see that back in the story.”
Reflecting even further, Carmichael revealed how “delighted” she was that writer Julian Fellowes focused on Edith’s “voice,” not losing the character’s personal goals amid the story.
