Makers to pay special tribute to late Dame Maggie Smith in third 'Downton Abbey' movie

The makers of 'Downton Abbey' will pay special tribute to Dame Maggie Smith, who portrayed the role of Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, in the third 'Downton Abbey' movie. As per PTI, the film's executive producer Gareth Neame said they had already planned for the film to have special mention for Smith's character Violet Crawley, who died in the previous season.
But now the death of the actor has given a 'real poignancy' to the story. Smith died at the age of 89 this September. She is well known for her roles in 'Harry Potter' franchise, 'Hook', 'Sister Act' and 'Downton Abbey' and countless other movies and stage productions.

"The fact that Dame Maggie herself has now passed away since that time, I do think, has given a real added poignancy to a story that we would have planned anyway. The loss of the Dowager, it now feels far more significant that you see actors playing characters mourning the family matriarch," he told TVLine. "But I also see actors mourning the matriarch of the show, and it feels more genuine and more meaningful," he added.

'The Downton Abbey' TV series began airing in 2010. The series was later adapted into movies. The first film released in 2019. Followed by another installment in 2022, titled, 'Downton Abbey: A New Era.' The plot of 'The Downton Abbey' followed the lives of aristocratic Crawley family and their servants. It is set in the fictional Yorkshire country estate of Downton Abbey between 1912 and 1926. Smith's most recent work was 'The Miracle Club'. Released in 2023, the film was directed by Thaddeus O'Sullivan and also featured Laura Linney, Kathy Bates and Hazel Doupe.