Hollywood bound, Downton's bad girl Lily James tipped to be next big British star after dramatic debut in season finale

PUBLISHED: 20:22 EST, 4 November 2012 | UPDATED: 06:13 EST, 5 November 2012

With her dark eyes and natural look of mischief, it is clear to see why Lily James was chosen for the role.

Millions saw the 23-year-old actress made her dramatic debut in the season finale of ITV’s Downton Abbey last night as seductress Lady Rose.

The middle class girl, from a theatrical family in Surrey, will have won countless new admirers and they won’t have to wait long to see her again. In demand: Lily James, who plays Lady Rose in Downton Abbey, has won many admirers for her performance in the hit ITV costume drama

In demand: Lily James, who plays Lady Rose in Downton Abbey, has won many admirers for her performance in the hit ITV costume drama

Tipped as the next big thing in British acting, Lily will be seen next year in the Hollywood action adventure: Wrath of the Titans opposite Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson.

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Since graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2010, she has notched up an impressive list of acting credits.

Last year she was seen in another racy role in the ITV drama: Secret Diary of a call Girl opposite the actress Billie Piper, 29.

Shocking: Lady Rose plays her part in a dramatic scene at the Blue Dragon during an explosive Downton finale

Lily James is destined for Hollywood after a dazzling performance in Downton Abbey

Bright future: Lily James has notched up an impressive list of credits, including roles in Hollywood movie Wrath of the Titans, ITV drama Secret Diary of a Call Girl, BBC series Just William and British film Fast Girls

Ultimate femme fatale: Lily James plays Lady Rose, the great niece of Maggie Smith's character, the Dowager Countess of Grantham

Earlier this year it was reported that she was in a relationship with the aspiring actor Jack Fox a scion of the Fox Family.

Mr Fox, 27 who appeared in the channel 4 comedy series: Fresh meat is the younger brother of Laurence Fox, 33, who is married to her former co-star Billie Piper.

Star qualities: Lily James, centre right, landed a starring role in Fast Girls as Lisa Temple

Born in Surrey, her grandmother Helen Horton was an actress who had roles in Alien and Superman 3, and her father was also an actor, although he died from cancer in 2008.

As a child she attended the £21,000 a year Arts Educational School in Tring, which counts actresses Jane Seymour, Julien Andrews and Thandie Newton amongst its alumni.

After joining the prestigious National Youth Music Theatre as a teenager, she won a place to study drama at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2007.

Barely out of drama school, she won the role of Ethel, William Brown’s coquettish older sister in the BBC adaptation of Richmal Crompton’s Just William stories in 2010.

Then followed a starring turn in the British film- Fast Girls.

She took her role as an athlete to such extremes that she was able to do 800 sit ups and ran up hills until she was sick.

Having been ‘optioned’ for series four of Downton Abbey, Miss James will next be seen in the Christmas special.

In her role as Lady Rose, the great niece of Maggie Smith’s character, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, she is the ultimate femme fatale who throws the world of Downton into disarray.

Warning: Matthew Crawley urges Lady Rose to end the affair

In last night’s episode, fans of the ITV show saw her character, Lady Rose’s turn as the ultimate scarlet women.

Despite her wide-eyed innocence, Lady Rose has a penchant for married men and manages to captivate the co-owner of Downton Abbey, Matthew Crawley, played by actor Dan Stevens, 30.

But it is her affair with the new male character, Terence Margadale, (Edward Baker-Duly) that sees the world of Downton become embroiled in scandal.

Scarlet woman: Lily James' charachter Lady Rose has a penchant for married men

Caught in the act: Lily James's character Lady Rose is spotted in the Blue Dragon night club having eloped with Margadale, played by Edward Baker-Duly

After eloping to London, the pair are caught in the notorious Blue Dragon night club where they are discovered by Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) locked in a passionate embrace.

And in a dramatic finale, Lady Rose is banished by her family to Scotland once the fling is exposed.

Speaking in an interview earlier this year about the role, the actress hinted that she is often cast as posh young girls.

Describing her turn as Lady Rose, she said: ‘I come in at the end and I am playing a posh person, surprise, surprise’. Hit: The dramatic plot will bring the third series of the hit show to an end

Hit: The dramatic plot will bring the third series of the hit show to an end

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DM says "Lily will be seen next year in the Hollywood action adventure: Wrath of the Titans opposite Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson" ----- I think you'll find that Wrath of the Titans was out March this year (2012) and is now out on DVD???? Nice fact check!

- Jeff-Russell , Liverpool, 05/11/2012 21:28

Click to rate Rating 7

she is a beautiful fiesty woman

- nc , va, United Kingdom, 05/11/2012 20:39

Click to rate Rating 1

she is a very attractive woman

- nc , va, United Kingdom, 05/11/2012 20:37

Click to rate Rating 1

Television in this country has lost the plott!

- PaulAmbrose , Manchester, 05/11/2012 20:06

Click to rate Rating 2

Unremarkable looks, terrible acting & irritating role - good look in Hollywood, you're going to need it dear. But at least if she stays over there she can't be in series 4 of Downton. Downton needs Lady Rose like the Dowager needs a tracksuit.

- CJ , Sheffield, United Kingdom, 05/11/2012 20:02

Click to rate Rating 2

Brash and lacking in style Even a rebellious young thing would have known how to behave because of her strict upbringing. She's foolish and looks too modern. A total clash rather than a contrast with the sylish and elegant women of Downton.

- Mxxxxxx19 , Boston, United Kingdom, 05/11/2012 20:01

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How could her mother have had a small part in the movie Alien, when there were only 2 women in the entire film, Sigourney Weaver and Veronica Cartwright? Get your facts straight DM.

- KiKi , Irvine, 05/11/2012 19:50

Click to rate Rating 1

This is the first hiccup for downton from having Lady Rose in it. Come on guys, only one bad move and this is series 3! It still doesn't change my opinion on downton that the fact it's brilliant.

- Tessa , Cheshire, 05/11/2012 17:12

Click to rate Rating 21

Bad comp of the Downton cast! They are lit from the right and the house from the left! Photoshop fail!

- Rambling on... , London, United Kingdom, 05/11/2012 13:46

Click to rate Rating 24

I thought her character and the storyline was completely unnecessary. She also wasn't a patch on the other actors

- Mum of 2 , UK, United Kingdom, 05/11/2012 13:20

Click to rate Rating 70

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