Hugh Bonneville is "amazingly impressed" by Dame Maggie Smith.
The 55-year-old actor starred with the iconic actress in the popular historical drama series ‘Downton Abbey’ – which ran from 2010 to 2015 – and after returning for the new feature length movie of the same name, he’s admitted he’s still "terrified" but "amazed" by the star.
Speaking about Maggie, 84, he said: "She is absolutely razor sharp. Which is why you have to be on the top of your game when you’re [with her].
"I can remember the very first scene that I shot with her back in 2010, I was absolutely terrified because I was working with a legend. And I can remember the very last scene I shot with her in 2018, and I was absolutely terrified because she’s a legend. Pretty much the same, consistently terrified, but amazingly impressed every time."
In the series and the movie, Hugh plays Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham, whilst Maggie stars as his mother Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham.
And Hugh admits working on scenes with Maggie was always nerve-wracking, because her status as a "legend" makes him nervous.
Speaking to People Now, he added: "There’s something about being in her presence, because you know she’s worked with legends, she is a legend, she’s got two Oscars, you know. You better be on form when you’re playing a scene with her."
Meanwhile, Hugh previously said he loved reuniting with his cast mates for the movie, which was released this month.
He said: "It’s a bit of a cliche, and I hope other people have said it – it’s the people really, it’s the gang.
"We were a tight team by the time we finished the show, and it’s a credit to Julian Fellowes and the producers. Actually, we did end the show on a good note and still buddies, so that made things easier in a very complicated situation trying to get us all back together three years later but we did it somehow!"
Hugh Bonneville is ‘amazingly impressed’ by Dame Maggie Smith
