Julian Fellowes "forgets" the characters in ‘Downton Abbey’ aren’t real.
The 65-year-old writer and creator of the hit ITV period drama has confessed he gets so caught up in his storylines and the performances of the actors that he sometimes forgets they’re not real people and is feeling emotional about the show coming to an end.
Speaking at a screening of the first episode of the sixth and final series of the show at The May Fair Hotel in London, Fellowes said: "The thing about fans that’s always bewildering is when they can’t tell the difference between the character that’s being played and the character of the actor who played them and they get all merged, but I think I’m guilty a bit of that.
"The unreality of the show I slightly forget because they’ve been so real to me for so many years now, for six years I’ve been going with these people and so I do think you have a little bit of sadness, no matter how idiotic it is, and sentimental, you do feel rather sorry to say goodbye to these people because I’ve enjoyed the creation and I’ll be sorry to see them go."
The ‘Gosford Park’ writer also insisted he doesn’t have a favourite character but enjoyed being able to write differently depending on the personality of the actor.
He explained: "I think I’m in love with all of them … But also when a part is very well cast, the actor starts to bring qualities into the characterization that you then start to write for so it becomes completely collaborative and I think that’s true for all of them.
"Mrs. Pattmore wasn’t all that funny in the beginning but when we realised how funny Lesley Nicol was, well you start to write for that and she becomes the downstairs Violet [Dame Maggie Smith] in a way."
Julian Fellowes forgets Downton Abbey characters aren’t real
