Photo: Shirley MacLaine as Martha Levinson, Paul Giamatti as Harold Levinson and Jim Carter as Mr. Carson in Downton Abbey's 2013 Christmas special (ITV ), Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley, Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley, and actor Alessandro Nivola (ScreenRant), and Downton Abbey 3 announcement (Focus Features)
Brand-New Downton Abbey Actor Explains How His Character Fits Into the Crawley Family Dynamic
ScreenRant March 9, 2025
With Alessandro Nivola set to tread the halls of Downton Abbey, the actor opened up about how his new character fits into the universe and on reuniting with former co-stars for the production. While the series concluded in 2015, the historical drama was followed by two movies that continued the story across 2019 and 2022, with a third movie announced in May 2024. Nivola is best known for his roles in Face/Off, Mansfield Park, Selma, The Many Saints of Newark, and most recently appeared as Attila in the cast of The Brutalist.
As Nivola sat down with ScreenRant to discuss his role in the upcoming comedy Fantasy Life at SXSW, the actor gave some early details on his arrival at Downton Abbey for the upcoming movie. The actor was both nervous to join the existing cast and excited to reunite with co-stars Hugh Bonneville, Dominic West, and Paul Giamatti, with Nivola revealing that his character is a long-time acquaintance of Giamatti's Harold Levinson. Check out Nicola's full response below:
*Spoilers*
I don't play a Brit for once. I'm not playing a Brit in Downton Abbey. I guess on paper, it's a tricky ask to come into that cast because they've all been working together for 15 years, and they are like a family. But I had the benefit of having my own personal history with a lot of the people who were in it, like Hugh Bonneville, who was in Mansfield Park with me back 20 some years ago. Dominic West is an old family friend and had starred in my wife's series that she directed, The Pursuit of Love.
And then Paul Giamatti, who I really have a double act with in the movie, I've known since I was about 17. I was an undergrad at Yale when he was at the Yale School of Drama, and we were in a bunch of plays together, and then his kids went to the same school as my kids, and we've just known each other a long time. And then on top of all that, we both played the Rhino in two different Marvel universes.
It really was joyful entering into that world with them. I really will be executed if I tell you anything too revealing, but Paul and I are both Americans. He's the brother of Elizabeth McGovern's character, Cora, and lives in New York. I'm one of his carousing drinking buddies, and we come back to the house at the beginning of the movie.
What Nivola's Comments Reveal About Downton Abbey's Final Movie
Could Health Woes Reunite A Family?
First mentioned in Downton Abbey season 3, Giamatti's Harold is described as a playboy whose work sees him working on the development of boats, though it wasn't until the 2013 Christmas special that he made his full debut. Striking up a relationship with Madeleine Allsopp (Poppy Drayton) during a visit in 1923, and would be unknowingly used in a plot involving a poker game distraction, before leaving for a family European tour. As such, it is unclear how the character will return in the upcoming movie fifteen years after his last appearance.
With Drayton not among the currently-announced cast, it is likely that Nivola and Giamatti could play more into a story involving Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern) herself, given the actor's explicit mention of the character. While Cora was diagnosed with Pernicious anemia in the second movie, it was stated that her condition was treatable. As such, a potential Levinson family reunion could be instigated by her ongoing treatment for the disease.
As Downton Abbey's third movie has been described as the final installment, it is likely that the movie will be more focused on providing a conclusion to the stories of the longtime characters as opposed to new inclusions and plots. With this, Nivola's quote seemingly suggests that at least his own casting was to create a character who could support an existing figure, in this case being Harold. With details being few about the final Downton Abbey movie ahead of its release, many may wonder which other longtime characters will be supported by new additions.
I’ve just watched this again for what probably the 200th time, and I’m sitting here quietly crying, because it’s just so wonderfully done. I mean you all KNOW this. But I love it.
Even though I can quote the entire scene, it’s interesting to watch it on mute. I just did that, lip syncing along…I think the absence of sound draws your attention to all the facial expressions even more so. These two really ARE amazing!
I love this so much. so. much. his face right after she accepts him and calls him an old booby?!?! it’s shock happylove overwhelmed in quick succession and it’s so beautiful
Oh yes, I can quote the entire thing (and I almost admitted it to the cast when I saw them in Bampton, but thought they might make me do it, which would have been too embarrassing), but I love to watch it on mute too, and then only watch one of them. The way her face lights up when she says she’s not offended. Gah, there is so much wonder in this scene.
Reblogging again because firstly it was so far down my chelsie tag it’s ridiculous. Secondly, @csota has sent me into a chelsie spiral today which I love her for.
And thirdly, because it turns out when it gets to the “stuck with you” part, I STILL bite my lip against a massive grin. So I need to rewatch this more often, sore lips be damned.
Oh, well, hello, again, my darling old boobies! It’s so nice to see you again. And again. And again. Please visit my dash any time. Every time. All the time. Always. Forever.
DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters May 20
Focus Features
Discover the mystery, picture the possibilities, experience a new era. Watch the new trailer for #DowntonAbbey: A New Era, and experience the motion picture event only in theaters May 20 [in US; April 29 UK; April 27 France; April 28 Italy, The Netherlands; stay tuned for release dates in other regions]
Among the returning castmembers are Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Kevin Doyle, Joanne Froggatt, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Tuppence Middleton, Lesley Nicol, Imelda Staunton, Penelope Wilton and Maggie Smith. Rounding out the principal for A New Era are Downton newcomers Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye, Dominic West and Jonathan Zaccaï. (THR)
Downton Abbey has taken over my life!!!! @peekaboochelsie - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
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