Dockery herself received three consecutive Emmy nods for best lead actress in a drama series, and she picked up several SAG Awards. “There was such a
Dockery herself received three consecutive Emmy nods for best lead actress in a drama series, and she picked up several SAG Awards. “There was such a circus around it all when we were promoting it and being at various awards shows—but every time we went back to film the series, it didn’t feel any different,” she says. “That never changed.”
She still remembers the words of wisdom Bonneville shared with her and Laura Carmichael, who plays Mary’s sister Edith, after the first season aired. “He said, ‘Relish this, ‘cause it doesn’t happen. It rarely happens more than once,being a part of something so huge like this,’” she recalls. “It really stayed with me, and I haven’t taken any of it for granted.” Dockery has taught her costars as well: “From the minute we started working together I had one thought: I will learn from this one,” says Elizabeth McGovern, who plays Downton’s demure and loving Countess of Grantham.” I watch her like a hawk. She’s rare. She has the radiance, charisma, and talent of a superstar, but she’s a team player. She loves other people’s work, even though she’s best at pretty much everything.”
In between trips to Downton, Dockery has made numerous TV series: the western Godless, the murder mystery Defending Jacob, the courtroom drama Anatomy of a Scandal, and the seductive thriller Good Behavior. She also worked with director Guy Ritchie in the movie The Gentlemen and returned to the stage in 2017 to star in the National Theatre’s production of Network, opposite Bryan Cranston. “It did create a big shift for me. There were job possibilities before, but nothing had opened the door the way that Downton did,” she says. “It definitely opened up a lot of opportunities.”
Joanne Froggatt, who plays Anna, admires Dockery’s range. “As an actor, Michelle has fantastic taste, which makes all the difference. She chooses projects with real substance—stories backed by brilliant talent both on screen and behind the scenes,” Froggatt says. “She’s never afraid to take on roles that push her in new directions, and in doing so she shows just how versatile and compelling she is as a performer.”
As Dockery, 43, closes the Downton Abbey chapter of her life, her onscreen character will remain close to her. “I grew up with her. I was 26 when I started playing her; between then and now, we have grown into women,” she says. “I take her with me sometimes in other roles because there’s this brilliant complexity and stoicism, and she’s such a rich character. Any other character I play, I’m always looking for those nuances.”
But stoicism is only one aspect of Dockery’s own personality. “I sometimes wish Lady Mary fans could see Michelle between takes,” McGovern says. “After a frosty, tragic scene, she becomes a clown, doing imitations with an elastic face and body that makes me laugh and laugh.”
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