EXCLUSIVE: Allen Leech Talks Downton Abbey: A New Era & Spin-Off Idea with Rob James-Collier

Tomorrow, May 20, the next movie in the Downton Abbey family, Downton Abbey: A New Era is released in the United States. We got the chance to sit down with one of the actors from the movie, Allen Leech to talk about the new movie.

During our chat, we talked Leech’s character, Tom Branson, his Downton Abbey spin-off idea with Rob James-Collier, and so much more. Check out what he had to say below.

Your character, Tom Branson has come pretty far since we first met him many, many years ago. How exciting has it been to play this character and to see how far he’s come in this film?

“It’s been incredibly exciting for me. I was hired for three episodes in the first season, thought that was my job done, and then came back for the second and still never knew if Branson was going to stick around or not. I even had to bet with Jessica Brown Findlay that I was going to get booted off the show because, she felt her time on the show was done, but I never expected to be there in any other series. And certainly didn’t even dream at that time of being in one movie, let alone two.

But Tom and me as an actor, I suppose in the show, have been a victim of circumstance and very happy circumstances I’m delighted to say, and I’m very grateful that Julian [Fellowes] didn’t choose the easy route to send Tom off and kept him there because he became, I guess, the eyes of the audience. Because he was viewing this world, like a lot of the audience who aren’t I suppose okay with the British social class structure. He was the audience’s eyes, sitting there in white tie and tails, thinking ‘What the hell’s going on?’”

Exactly! The audience feels like it can relate to your character in a way it can’t with some of the other characters. Does that bring you a sense of honor?

“It’s wonderful because I definitely felt a sense of that even from the start. He always had this idea that he believed the aristocracy were absolute nonsense. Then suddenly you find yourself sitting at those tables. And he has to find some kind of justification and reconcile his beliefs with the world that he’s living in. That was great fun to play. And also, he had very modernist views. I always loved when fans talked about how they love to see Tom bringing the family forward.”

I thought what was so interesting about this movie is not only is Tom married, but he is now heading to the South of France to see the family’s new French Villa. Did you get to film in the France?

“Yeah.”

How amazing was that?

“It was very amazing. We had some very jealous and envious cast members, but we read the script and we had a sense. There was a cover letter saying an overview, what happened in the movie. Everyone just jumped straight in, and you want to see exterior, then the Riviera and you just want to make sure your character’s name is there. Then I think there was a collective howl in my house anyway, that I got to go.”

Did you miss though, being able to hang out with those cast members who stayed and filmed mainly at Downton?

“Yeah, it was sad because the camaraderie that we all have is something very special and love obviously, to play in those scenes, but also just to be around them. Because we have become very good friends. This one felt very disjointed, but not only because of how the script was written, but because of COVID as well, it felt very fragmented. My first time seeing it was at the London premiere and it was wonderful to see these scenes together because obviously you’re only one part of it. It was a real joy to watch and also to watch it in the theater, to hear the collective laughter and gasps and then the inevitable sniffles that come.”

Was there a particular character that you wish that you got to interact more with?

“I’m very good friends with Rob James-Collier who plays Thomas Barrow. We always imagined that the two of them actually fell in love, moved to New York, and had the first gay Irish bar.”

You’re kidding! That would be great!

“That’d be fun. But then, well there was another one, where we became screenwriters and we wrote a show called McGonigle’s Law and it just ended every episode with the head of the police going, “Damn you, you McGonigle.” I mean, just absolute nonsense. But see, this is why I missed hanging out with him. We didn’t have time to get our new, great ideas together.”

A common theme with Downton is every time we think it’s over, it comes back for more. If this were to be the end, are you happy with Tom’s journey and where we find him at the end of the film?

“Oh, definitely. I feel that all of his loose ends have pretty much been tied up, which is so happy. I’m so happy for my character to say that that’s done. As Julian says, not everyone can have everything tied up in a happy bow, but I do feel that this movie it definitely could be if it is the end, the end of my character, but for so many as well. I think if it is the end, then it finishes in a really beautiful way.”

What would it take for there to be another film or season?

“I guess it’s up to the fans. We knew there was an appetite for more and we’d made the first movie, but we had no idea if it was going to be well received. Obviously, the fans spoke, by going to see it in numbers. If there’s an appetite to go again, I think we all would. I genuinely think we would because it’s so special to be part of something that is so loved. To play a character like this has been a real privilege. So yeah, I’d be back.”

For your character, was there something that surprised you that you learned in this movie that you didn’t know about him before?

“That’s a good question. I’m not sure actually. Did I? He’s found more resilience to the family and certainly standing on his own two feet. That surprised me in this, and he has fully found who he is, and I felt that in how Julian wrote it.”

Do you think he finally feels like a Crawley? Do you think he finally feels like he’s a part of the family?

“I would actually say he finally feels like a Branson. He really knows himself. There will always be just that little bit removed. I don’t think he’ll ever fully be a Crawley, but I think for the first time he found out who Tom Branson is, he really found himself.”

For my final question for you today. What are you hoping fans get from the movie?

“I hope they get to go on this journey with these characters that they’ve fallen in love with and still love and see them in both hilarious and heartbreaking situations. But also, I hope that they can come and just let Downton wash over them for the two hours and just get completely lost and enjoy the escapism.”

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity

Photo credit: Ben Blackall / © 2022 Focus Features LLC