As Downton Abbey: The Grand Final comes to Irish screens, Michelle Dockery has been telling RTÉ Entertainment about her role as Lady Mary, who faces scandal and being shunned by society in the period drama's celluloid swansong.
Interviewed alongside co-stars Laura Carmichael (who plays Lady Edith Hexham ) and Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates), Dockery admitted that it was quite a whirlwind experience for the incoming Lady Grantham.
She's coming to London amid rumours of her divorce. The rumours are true and it's resulting in her being hounded by a blood-hungry press looking for some scandal.
Meanwhile, the polite and posh are appalled by the prospect of having a divorcee in their judgmental midst. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place . . .
"Again, another scandal for Mary," Michelle Dockery says. "She’s, you know, I think she’s prepared for it. She’s going to have one last night out before the sky falls in. She knows it’s coming.
"But it’s happening at a time when she’s getting into a really big position of responsibility, and everybody rallies round to kind of bring her back into society.
"It’s quite shocking to see how women were treated back then," she adds. "Even the music stops in the ballroom."
Mary’s a strong character – but she’s also vulnerable at this time. Then this strange chap appears from America. A certain Gus Sambrook, played by Alessandro Nivola, a finacial advisor of sorts.
He immediately seys his emotional radar in Maty's direction.
"He’s very handsome, charming," says Michelle Dockery. "You know, she loves her handsome, charming men. I feel like . . . in some ways she’s a little wobbly in this film.
"You see that she’s been affected by everything that’s going around her. She is vulnerable and that’s why I love playing her. She is this real stoic character, and puts on this front when she needs to.
"But actually, underneath it, she’s very vulnerable and very human. You see that side of her when she’s with Anna – and what I love about the characters, you see all sides of them.
"She’s quite a multi-faceted character and you see that vulnerable side of her in this film."
Elsewhere in Downton Abbey world, Mary's sister sister Edith is in a much happier place - bot physically and emotionally.
Her and husband Lord Hexham are leading a content family life up north.
"She’s happy," says Laura Carmichael, who plays Edith. "She’s sorted. And she sort of steps in to help Mary in a way that maybe she wouldn’t have before. They soften to each other.
"I think she understands how difficult it’s going to be and she wants to help in whatever way she can."
"We love that story line," says Michelle Dockery. "I love it when Mary to the point where she’s going: ‘Oh I’m going to have to trust my sister."
Downstairs at Downton Abbey, Anna Bates is having another baby – which coincided quite conveniently with Joanne Froggatt becoming a mother in real life.
"There wasn’t a great deal of choice for our creative team – because I was pregnant," she recalls. "But I was 38 weeks pregnant, so it was pretty hard to hide it!
"It ended being about the most perfect way to finish Anna and Bates’ story. And the fact that it was such a full circle moment for me – to be pregnant filming and for Anna to have that as well – was really beautiful.
Smiling, she adds: "It worked out perfectly."
For the full interview with Laura Carmichael, Michelle Dockery and Joanne Froggatt, see above video.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is in cinemas nationwide from Friday September 12.
