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One of the stars of Downton Abbey has opened up about Maggie Smith’s absence from the final instalment of the period drama phenomenon. In an exclusive chat with Reach Screen Time, actress Raquel Cassidy - better known to fans as lady’s maid Phyllis Baxter - addressed the atmosphere on the set of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale without the iconic star, who immortalised the acerbic Dowager Countess, Lady Violet Crawley . The 57-year-old actress said: “In terms of not having Maggie there, and I’ve heard other actors say this too at the read through, she kind of was there with us, strangely, because she’d always been there and she’d always been such a central part to it.” Cassidy said the inclusion of Lady Violet’s portrait in Downton’s grand hallway and references in script, including one a quip about a weekend made Smith’s presence very much felt. She continued: “So she’s there both through wit and also the lack. We miss her but we are also honouring her memory with her humour and you feel that Mary takes it on. “Mary will take her on, her spirit on, and she’ll live on both through the house and the people who loved her and are remembering her.” Cassidy went onto reflect on her own grieving process of leaving behind Downton Abbey, which she has been part of since season four after joining in 2013. “I’m not grieving about it all now. I did quite a bit of that before. I think I was quite surprised about how profoundly I felt about it,” Cassidy said. She said one of the big moments was the script read-through for the final film, admitting: “It felt like my hair was standing on end every time anyone spoke.” Adding: “It was portentous and Maggie wasn’t there and we really understood how blessed we have been and what a privileged position we were in.” Cassidy revealed she “dissolved into a real mess of tears” after she wrapped up filming. Adding: “I didn’t expect that at all. I was in one of those moments, where you can’t really speak.” Prior to joining the ITV period drama juggernaut, Cassidy admitted she was already a “huge fan” and wanted to be part of Downton Abbey when the opportunity presented itself. Addressing the franchise coming to an end, the Teachers and The Worst Witch star said she wasn’t surprised at Downton Abbey’s enduring success compared to perhaps some of her fellow cast members, who’d been on the show since the start, because she knew what it was like “love” the series. Looking forward to the future, Cassidy now has several projects in the works. Cassidy teased that she’d had a “delicious flurry” of interest had come through since the movie’s release, saying she was getting “close” to one thing but concluded: “So far, the next right thing hasn’t come along.” Before, cryptically adding she wanted to do more period drama: “So, who knows what’s around the corner?” Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is available to buy or rent now
