Dame Maggie Smith doesn’t think a ‘Downton Abbey’ movie should go ahead.
The 82-year-old actress played Violet Crawley in the period drama, which ended in 2015, and is in two minds about a big screen adaption because she is convinced it may come across as trying to squeeze the series "dry."
Speaking at the BFI & Radio Times Festival in London on Sunday (09.04.17), she said: "I just think it’s squeezing it dry. I don’t know what it could possibly be."
Maggie starred in the drama for five years from 2010 and, although she also portrayed Professor McGonagall in the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, she has admitted her life completely changed when she landed her role in the popular ITV series.
She told the Radio Times magazine: "It’s ridiculous. I led a perfectly normal life until ‘Downton Abbey’. I’m not kidding. I would go to theatres I would go to galleries and things like that on my own. And now I can’t. And that’s awful.
"And it’s all through television. I had been working for a very long time before ‘Downton Abbey’ and life was fine, nobody knew who the hell I was."
Meanwhile, although Maggie has slammed screenwritier Julian Fellowes for creating a ‘Downton Abbey’ film, it doesn’t look like her opinion will stop the plan from going ahead as he recently admitted that filming for the movie will start this year.
He said recently: "It hasn’t been confirmed or commissioned yet… But we are all hoping it will happen. That’s all I know.
"Obviously I have been thinking about it because if they suddenly give the go-ahead I don’t want to be completely caught standing. But I wouldn’t take it as more than that."
Other stars of the show have said they will welcome a reunion of the period drama.
Michelle Dockery, 35, who played Lady Mary Crawley, said: " We’ve all heard this rumor – the cast – that the script has been written.
"There’s a hard copy somewhere but none of us have seen it or know what’s in it.
"So we’ll all keep out fingers crossed that it all comes together. We’re all willing it to happen. I’d absolutely jump at the chance to star in it if I’m asked. I’ll squeeze it in."
Jeremy Swift, who played butler Septimus Spratt, said: "It’s supposed to be filming this year but it hasn’t been locked down yet."
Dame Maggie Smith doesn’t want Dowton Abbey film
