Several iconic characters are set to return for Downton Abbey: A New Era. After the globally popular Downton Abbey TV series ended its 6-season run in 2015, the Downton Abbey feature film premiered in 2019 to widespread critical and audience acclaim. Downton Abbey: A New Era reunites the principal cast of the Downton Abbey series/film but it will also introduce several new characters played by the likes of Dominic West, Hugh Dancy, and Nathalie Baye.
Downton Abbey 2019 set up numerous plots that the sequel will continue and Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has promised that A New Era will pick up from where the previous film left off. Downton Abbey: A New Era will feature the wedding of Tom Branson (Allen Leech) and Lucy Smith (Tuppence Middleton) after they fell in love in the 2019 Downton Abbey film. Meanwhile, there's also a marriage downstairs between assistant cook Daisy (Sophie McShera) and Andy (Michael C. Fox), Downton Abbey's footman. However, Downton Abbey: A New Era will also bring the extended Crawley family to the South of France after Lady Violet (Maggie Smith) reveals she inherited a villa as a result of a romantic encounter in her "mysterious past."
Downton Abbey somehow manages to successfully juggle its sprawling cast of over two dozen characters as well as guest stars. Just as with the 2019 film, Downton Abbey: A New Era will continue the stories of the Crawley family and their dauntless servants downstairs. At this point, nearly every Downton character is beloved by fans, and here is every familiar face confirmed to be in Downton Abbey: A New Era.
Every Confirmed Downton Abbey Character Returning In A New Era
Lord Grantham, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) - Lord Grantham is still the head of the family although Lady Mary is actively in charge of running Downton Abbey.
Lady Grantham, Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern) - Lady Grantham has seen her living daughters married and she continues on as the Countess and loving wife of Lord Grantham.
Lady Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery) - Lady Mary's role is now to keep Downton Abbey moving forward and progressing into the future while raising her son, George, the future Earl of Grantham, and Caroline, her daughter with her husband, Henry Talbot.
Lady Violet, The Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith) - The biggest surprise return of Downton Abbey: A New Era is Lady Violet, who told Mary that she was dying at the end of Downton Abbey 2019. Lady Violet's "mysterious past" kicks off A New Era's story of the Crawleys traveling to the South of France.
Tom Branson (Allen Leech) - Tom fell for Lucy Smith in Downton Abbey 2019 and they will marry in A New Era. Branson is also the father of Sybbie, his daughter with his late wife, Lady Sybil Crawley (Jessica Brown-Findlay).
Lucy Branson (Tuppence Middleton) - The daughter of Lady Maud Bagshaw, Lucy will become Mrs. Tom Branson in Downton Abbey: A New Era. Lucy will also inherit the Brumpton estate from her mother.
Lady Hexam, Edith Pelham (Laura Carmichael) - As the Marchioness of Hexam, Edith, the middle Crawley daughter, now outranks everyone in her family. Edith is happily married to Bertie Pelham, Lord Hexam, and is raising Marigold, her daughter with Michael Gregson (Charles Edward).
Lord Hexam, Bertie Pelham (Harry Hadden-Paton) - The Marquess of Hexam, Bertie Pelham Lady Edith's husband and one of the most powerful officers in Great Britain.
Lady Merton, Isobel Grey (Penelope Wilton) - Isobel married Lord Merton in Downton Abbey season 6 and she remains close to her friendly rival, Lady Violet.
Lord Merton, Richard Grey (Douglas Reith) - Lord Merton is Lady Isobel's devoted husband who's happily a part of the extended Crawley family.
Mr. Charles Carson (Jim Carter) - Downton Abbey's former butler is married to Mrs. Hughes and living in retirement. Carson returned to action in Downton Abbey's 2019 movie and he may answer Lady Mary's call once more to join the Crawleys in the South of France.
Mrs. Elsie Hughes (Phyllis Logan) - Mrs. Hughes, also known as Mrs. Elsie Carson, is Charles Carson's wife and she remains the Housekeeper of Downton Abbey, keeping the ladies' staff in line.
Mr. Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier) - Mr. Barrow became Downton Abbey's butler at the end of season 6 and continues to run the great house. A gay man in an era that doesn't welcome him, Barrow made a special friend in Richard Ellis (Max Brown) of the Royal household.
Mrs. Beryl Patmore (Lesley Nicol) - Mrs. Patmore is Downton Abbey's longtime cook and she's likely unhappy to have to move her kitchen staff to the South of France.
Mr. John Bates (Brendan Coyle) - Mr. Bates is Lord Grantham's valet, the husband of Anna Bates, and the father of Johnny Bates.
Mrs. Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt) - Anna is Downton Abbey's head housemaid and the ladies' maid to Lady Mary. Anna is happily married to Mr. Bates and raising their son, Johnny.
Daisy Parker (Sophie McShera) - Independent-minded Daisy grew up in Downton Abbey and went from scullery maid to assistant cook. Daisy wanted to marry Andy Parker in Downton Abbey 2019 and they will tie the knot in A New Era.
Andy Parker (Michael C. Fox) - Andy is Downton Abbey's footman and he will finally become Daisy's husband in Downton Abbey: A New Era.
Mr. Joseph Molesley (Kevin Doyle) - Mr. Molesley was the late Matthew Crawley's (Dan Stevens) butler who became a footman at Downton Abbey. Molesley left service to become a teacher but he's romantically interested in Miss Baxter.
Miss Phyllis Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) - Miss Baxter is the Countess of Grantham's ladies maid at Downton Abbey. Baxter found a home at Downton, and she and Mr. Molesley fancy each other.
Lady Maud Bagshaw (Imelda Staunton) - Lady Maud is the cousin of Lady Violet and the mother of Lucy Smith, who was illegitimate and posed as her maid in Downton Abbey 2019. When Lucy marries Tom Branson, he will stand to inherit Bagshaw's dowry, the Brumpton estate.
Lady Rosamund Painswick (Samantha Bond) - Lady Rosamund is the daughter of Lady Violet and the sister of Lord Grantham. Rosamund was absent from Downton Abbey 2019 but she returns in A New Era.
Sybbie Branson, George Crawley, Caroline Talbot, Marigold - Sybbie is the daughter of Tom Branson and the late lady Sybil. George is the son of Lady Mary and the late Matthew Crawley, and he is the presumptive heir to Downton Abbey. Caroline is Lady Mary's daughter with her current husband, Henry Talbot. Marigold is Lady Edith's daughter with the late Michael Gregson. The children appear older in Downton Abbey: A New Era, which denotes that two years will pass since the 2019 film.
Curiously, Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode) is missing from Downton Abbey: A New Era's confirmed cast. Henry only made a brief appearance at the end of Downton Abbey 2019 but it's possible he may not appear in the sequel. It remains to be seen how his absence is explained. Meanwhile, Lady Rose MacClare (Lily James) also isn't expected to appear in Downton Abbey: A New Era. Lady Rose was a main character in Downton Abbey seasons 4-5 and she returned in the season 6 finale, but thus far, Lily James has yet to appear in a Downton Abbey film.
