Poor Edith no more, Downton Abbey star Laura Carmichael reveals what happens to her character

IN Downton Abbey, Lady Edith Crawley, has been described as ugly, obnoxious, unlucky-in-love and poor. But this season, there’s more in store for her.

IN four seasons of hit period drama Downton Abbey, her character, Lady Edith Crawley, has been variously termed ugly Edith, obnoxious Edith, unlucky-in-love Edith and poor Edith.

English actor Laura Carmichael doesn’t have a problem with that.

The fact she can transform from drab Lady Edith to drop-dead gorgeous glamazon to walk the red carpet, and elicit reactions ranging from disbelief it’s the same person to total non-recognition amuses her.

Equally too, the invites, when she does get recognised, to join upper-class pursuits such as horse riding or a spot or croquet.

And as the long-delayed fifth season of Downton arrives on Australian screens, she says Lady Edith may transform yet again.

Our interview takes place in Los Angeles, days after the Golden Globes at which Joanne Froggatt has won the best supporting actress gong for her role as lady’s maid Anna Bates on Downton.

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Edith returns ... Laura Charmichael from Downton Abbey. Picture: Supplied

Carmichael and her co-stars have been put up at West Hollywood’s London Hotel, and the 28-year-old is amused by the location.

“Everyone is having a giggle at that — it’s like we had to find a bit of England in Hollywood,” Carmichael says, in less-plummy tones than those of her alter ego.

Downton Abbey’s luck was in at the Globes, but as season five begins, Lady Edith’s is not.

Lady Edith has had a tough time since Downton began. She’s lost one man to war, been jilted at the altar, then fell pregnant to a magazine editor who went missing in Germany, and thatched a plan to have the baby in secret. Every time she seems on the verge of happiness, it goes pear-shaped. Surely she’s due for some luck?

“You’d think so,” Carmichael laughingly concedes, revealing Downton writer Julian Fellowes finds it ‘hilarious’ that he gets letters from fans begging him to please let Edith be happy.

But as season five begins, it’s still looking pretty grim.

Edith has installed her daughter at a neighbouring farm, fighting a battle on two fronts — the irresistible maternal pull that drives her towards her daughter clashing with the desperate need to keep her a secret or bring shame on the whole Crawley clan.

It doesn’t help that nobody knows, so you can see the family silently wondering why the heck she’s not over her disappearing lover yet.

More secrets and surprises ... what’s to come in Downton Abbey. Picture: Supplied

“It’s been incredibly difficult for Edith. She is living with a kind of knife above her head ... fearing discovery of what in those times was a devastating secret that could severely damage her status and her family,” Carmichael says.

“I think your heart will really go out to Edith. The struggle to keep that secret clearly takes a heavy toll.”

‘Poor Edith’ is still omnipresent, yet Carmichael never tires of her.

“It’s so interesting to have a character that so many things have happened to,” she says.

“She has grown through it, and she picks herself up and she gets on with things. As an actor it’s a delight to play.”

The bulk of fans when they first met Edith disliked her. Over time, Carmichael has enjoyed seeing them come over to her side to the point they wish for her happiness.

“It’s been a lovely thing as you start to understand why she went there, what happened to her to make her like that,” Carmichael says.

The modern woman that is Carmichael despairs of Edith’s situation in which social convention means she can’t be with her daughter. The actor understands it.

“As a modern woman it seems a cruel thing,” she says.

“But it was interesting to think about how it affected Edith. In her world there’s no bigger disaster in their world than to be caught out in this way and it really would have affected every single characters in the show.

On the rise ... Laura Carmichael from Downton Abbey. Picture: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images

“It’s was something our historical adviser spoke to me about — at that time to be caught up in a scandal. It would affect the hall boys, the foot men because they would be working at that house, where that lady is.

“And I think that’s the thing it’s so hard to get your head around.”

“I there are moments when you see them (Edith and her laughter) together where you realise she has been undeniably blessed, whatever the situation.”

Carmichael gives an ironic laugh. “Often that’s followed by her being pulled away, but hey …” she says.

There may not be many laughs for Edith but for Carmichael, a sceptical sense of humour means she can revel in her many masks on and off camera.

There is no chance of confusing Carmichael with her character — they look totally different, and while she loves the period costumes, off-screen, ‘if anything feels Downton I won’t wear it’.

She finds the fact she can go unrecognised ‘interesting’.

“It’s funny when people really genuinely don’t know who you are,” she says.

“I think it’s the hair thing, really. I’m normally just a messy blonde. rather than this person with perfectly-coiffed hair,” she says.

In real life ... Laura Carmichael from the popular Downton Abbey. Picture: Rachel Murray/Getty Images

Red carpet disguise ... Laura Carmichael at the SAG Awards. Picture: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

“The red carpet me is another fun disguise I’m happy to inhabit but that’s not the real me either — I’m much scruffier.”

She’s also amused by the reactions fans have to the actors who play the aristocrats as opposed to those who reside ‘downstairs’ at Downton.

“Jim (Carter, who plays butler Mr Carson) and Michelle (Dockery, who plays Lady Mary) are the two most instantly recognisable off-set,” she says.

“Fans are really chummy with Jim, while with Michelle it’s like a real princess is in the room,” she says.

“I get invited to things like horse riding and croquet. And I don’t know how to ride horses — except for acting. It’s quite funny because that’s not my normal mode of transport.

“In real life I’d be more comfortable downstairs, I think.

“Downstairs they know what’s going on. Upstairs is unaware that they are all talking about them downstairs.”

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Originally published as Poor Edith no more, Downton Abbey star Laura Carmichael reveals what happens to her character