Lounge Talk: Laura Haddock

Congratulations are in order for your performance in Downton Abbey: A New Era. Do you recall what went through your head when you received a call to join this production?

Thank you! I was so pleased to get the job. I’ve been a fan of the show from the very beginning, so it was a thrill to be asked. Also, I loved My Week with Marilyn, and its director, Simon Curtis, was also attached to direct Downton Abbey, which was really exciting.

We had just come out of the second lockdown and I felt so ready to work again. Watching how the production got this huge film up on its legs in that tricky time gave me huge faith in our industry and the drive everyone has to create content. The content which got most of us through such a strange and isolating time.

When you’re a fan of the series, does this make a mission to audition easier, or harder? Also, who’s the character that you were mostly rooting for, or the storyline that you’ve enjoyed the most looking back at the earlier episodes of the series or the first movie? I must say that Moseley’s (played by Kevin Doyle) storyline left me in stitches.

I totally agree. I think I’m right by saying that when Kevin Doyle came into the show, he had a very small part, but the work he did and his beautiful, nuanced, heart-warming performance awarded him a greater character journey. He’s also so loved on and off screen. The moment in A New Era where his character Moseley is acting out a scene he wrote for The Gambler is probably my favourite scene in the whole film. You could hear a pin drop in that scene because we, as an audience, are so with him.

I have honestly loved all of the character journeys. Julian Fellowes has masterfully curated a world where 20 or so characters all have their moment. They grow and change and develop over the seasons and throughout the movies, which feels so satisfying for an audience to be a part of.

Now, not giving away any spoilers for those who haven’t seen the film yet, but what can you reveal about your character, Myrna Dalgleish? There’s definitely a surprising downstairs-upstairs dynamic unfolding in the movie, isn’t it?

Myrna is a silent movie star who comes to Downton to film her next movie, called The Gambler. Halfway through the filming, the characters learn that other studios are making talkies and that silent films are becoming a thing of the past, so they decide to transform this new production into a talkie. This terrifies Myrna as she has not been vocally trained and she knows that this could mean the end of a very successful career, but also offers her an opportunity for some self-reflection.

Was there a particular inspiration behind this character of yours?

I researched a lot of actresses who went through this same transition. It became clear to me that not many actresses were actually able to make it. For many of them, English was a second language, so not only would they have to learn it, if they wanted to continue working in Hollywood, but then they would have to learn the accent too. Given how quickly the industry changed, they couldn’t keep up and a new influx of actresses was cast. I remember reading about Norma Talmadge and the demise of her career, and realizing how terrifying this would’ve been for her and many others at the time.

I think Michelle Dockery said to Joanne Froggatt, whilst in character and describing Myrna that you should not be meeting the stars you adore. Were you ever in a similar situation when meeting someone that you really admire didn’t turn out to be as expected?

I met Elton John once. He was lovely, but it was me that fell apart. I bowed. It felt to me like I was meeting the pope, and I think I’ve asked him if I could kiss his ring. It’s all a blur now, if I’m honest. And I think the lesson learned is that I need to find my chill when meeting people I admire. I also had a whole conversation with Oprah once. She thought I was someone else, and I never corrected her.

Speaking of Downton, I also wanted to add that I would absolutely watch Myrna conquering the Hollywood spin-off. Perhaps, it’s worth pitching this idea to Julian Fellowes.

Oh, yes! That would be so fun. I’ll send Julian a note. Where’s Myrna now?