Downton Abbey: unexpected friendships behind the scenes

Michelle Dockery and Laura Carmichael hit it off straight away. 

"Laura and I are both from a family of three sisters," Michelle told Mail Online. "She's the middle and I'm the youngest, so there was kind of an instant sisterhood when we first met.

"We've grown up together in a way. I mean it's been six years. I was 27 when I started the show, and we bonded very, very quickly, and also Laura and I have a lot of fun with the characters," she continued. 

"I mean we are elated when we read a page and it's a stand-off between Mary and Edith – it's more fun for us to play… We've always got a bit bored when they're nice to each other."

In September 2023, Laura even served as Michelle's bridesmaid at her wedding to film producer, Jasper Waller-Bridge. Pictured leaving the ceremony, which took place in Chiswick, West London, the actress held Michelle's train so it didn't touch the floor. 

More recently, Laura and Michelle reunited on the set of Downton Abbey 3, where they were photographed shooting scenes at Ripon Racecourse in north Yorkshire. 

Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern have collaborated on three projects. Away from Downton, they also teamed up on the TV movie, Thursday the 12th (2003), and the 2008 series, Freezing. 

Speaking about their sweet friendship, Hugh previously told Saga: "We have had a couple of reunion suppers and we get together occasionally. Elizabeth and I have been married three times in three different TV shows. So we are close."

Michelle Dockery and Allen Leech have been friends for years, and he even introduced her to her late fiancé John Dineen.

"John's like family to me and I knew he'd really get on with Michelle," he previously said. "She's a great girl - probably as far from Lady Mary as you could imagine." 

While John sadly passed away in 2015 following a cancer diagnosis, Allen was there to support Michelle when she married Jasper Waller-Bridge eight years later.

Immensely proud of his friend, Allen is one of Michelle's biggest supporters, and in 2022 he penned the sweetest post. The actor, who is known and adored for his role as Tom Branson in the period drama, shared a photo of Michelle and their co-star, Michael Fox, as they posed in a cover photo for their new single, Calming Storm.

"It's only two of my favourite people who just happen to have the most wondering voices, songwriting abilities, can play loads of instruments, really good dancers…" he wrote in the caption. 

"Well, Michelle is a really good dancer… and Michael eh, Michael, Michael is a good really strong swimmer!" In another part of the post, Allen added: "But this song is beautiful!"

Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton have shared the screen several times. As well as Downton, you may have spotted them in the The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. 

Speaking to Mail Online in 2022, Penelope – who plays Isobel Grey – joked about their time on set. "Maggie gets all the best lines!" she said.

"With Maggie, you need to be on your game to hit the ball back at her. I said to Julian [Fellowes]: 'Can I at least win one of the arguments?' and he said: 'No.'"

Penelope – who will reprise her role in the third Downton Abbey movie – revealed how much she loves working with Maggie. "I enjoy my spats with Lady Grantham enormously," she said. "Maggie and I love those scenes so much."

Sadly, Maggie will not appear in the next instalment as her character, Lady Violet Crawley, passed away in Downton Abbey: A New Era.