Dominic thought he was ‘witnessing history’ as he shared her ‘last’ scene with her (Picture: Rex)
Dominic West has said it was ‘incredibly emotional’ after Dame Maggie Smith told him the new Downton Abbey film would be her final acting job – only for the cheeky minx to later reveal she actually has no plans to retire.
The Wire actor joins the cast of the hit period drama for the second film, Downton Abbey: A New Era, portraying silent film star Guy Dexter, who appears in a movie being shot at the stately home, and previously said he was ‘daunted’ at the prospect of joining the period drama juggernaut.
He also shared that he was thrilled to share the screen with double Oscar winner Dame Maggie, who is best known for roles in a jam-packed career including Harry Potter, Sister Act, A Room With A View, Gosford Park and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, considered her big break through on screen in 1969.
She plays the popular (and scathing) Dowager Countess Violet Crawley in the long running series, who in the new movie mysteriously inherits a luxury villa in the south of France.
However, he became dismayed when the actress told him the film would be her last.
West told a press conference: ‘I sat next to her around that famous table for two or three days and got to just chat to her and listen to her hilarious jokes and sly remarks.
Dame Maggie’s career began on stage in the 1950s before moving to the screen and her 1969 breakthrough in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Credits: 20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock)
With co-star Penelope Wilton in Downton Abbey: A New Era, which Dominic thought was her last role (Picture: Ben Blackall/Focus Features)
‘She said at one point that she’s going to throw in the towel now. She said, “That’s it. I’m not going to do any more.” And I said, “What? Acting?” and she said, “Yeah, no more acting.”
‘I said, “Theatre as well?” and she said, “No, I’m not doing theatre either, and this will be my last job.” And that was incredibly emotional.
Due to what Dame Maggie had told him, Dominic then believed he had participated in her last-ever acting scene.
‘Actually I was in the scene that she shot last in the show and I thought, “Oh my god, I’m witnessing history here” and it was incredibly emotional.
The actor confessed he became ‘incredibly emotional’ as he acted in what he thought was Dame Maggie’s final-ever scene (Picture: Getty)
‘And I was talking to her afterwards in the make-up trailer, and it was very moving that this great, great actress wasn’t going to act anymore.’
However, it turns out that wasn’t exactly true.
‘And then I went back the following week, and I said: “It’s so sad Maggie” and she said: “Nonsense!” and she’s booked another film. She starts next week.’
Dominic is glimpsed as Guy Dexter in the new film’s trailer (Picture: Focus Features/YouTube)
The two films currently on the Death on the Nile star’s slate are A German Life, in which she is reprising her stage role as Brunhilde Pomsel, the infamous secretary of Nazi Joseph Goebbels, and The Miracle Club, alongside Kathy Bates and Laura Linney.
The new Downton Abbey film sees stars including Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael and Joanne Froggatt all reprise their roles, while Laura Haddock and Hugh Dancy also join the cast.
Downton Abbey: A New Era is out in cinemas on April 29.
