Lady Violet Crawley, the beloved matriarch of the Crawley family portrayed by Dame Maggie Smith, may be getting her own television prequel. According to a report in the Daily Mail, the makers of the hit franchise are considering a series set in the 1800s, focusing on Violet's younger years and her romances, including her love story with Prince Igor Kuragin, which was hinted at in the original show.
Speculation is already rife about who might take on the iconic role. Among the names reportedly being considered are Emily Carey from House of the Dragon, Ella Purnell from Yellowjackets, and Viola Prettejohn, who played the young Queen Elizabeth in The Crown.
Dame Maggie Smith has previously expressed mixed feelings about her role in Downton Abbey, saying it was not her favourite work. She told the Standard: 'I am deeply grateful for the work in Potter and indeed Downton but it wasn’t what you’d call satisfying. I didn’t really feel I was acting in those things.'
Meanwhile, a third Downton Abbey film is in development, with new cast members including Joely Richardson, Paul Giamatti, Alessandro Nivola, and Simon Russell Beale. Michelle Dockery and Laura Carmichael have been spotted filming as their characters Lady Mary and Lady Edith, though plot details remain scarce.
