Downton Abbey movie: Jim Carter, 71, walks the red carpet with wife Imelda Staunton, 63, as she makes her debut in the big screen adaptation

By Niomi Harris For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

He's known as the formidable butler Mr Carson in the his ITV franchise.

But actor Jim Carter was a far cry from his alter-ego as he put on a cheery display at the Downton Abbey movie premiere at Cineworld in Leicester Square, London on Monday.

The actor, 71, cut a dapper figure as he posed with wife Imelda Staunton, 63, as she makes her debut in the much-loved period drama.

Look who it is: Jim Carter was a far cry from his alter-ego Carson as he put on a cheery display at the Downton Abbey movie premiere at Cineworld in Leicester Square, London on Monday

Look who it is: Jim Carter was a far cry from his alter-ego Carson as he put on a cheery display at the Downton Abbey movie premiere at Cineworld in Leicester Square, London on Monday

Looking sharp in a black tuxedo, crisp white shirt and black bow tie, Jim was every inch the star as she joined his co-stars at the world premiere of the Julian Fellowes written extravaganza.

Meanwhile, Imelda looked elegant in a multicoloured floral gown and nude heels as she cosied up to her husband, whom she married in 1983. 

The couple appeared in high spirits as they joined other co-stars at the glitzy event including Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery and Laura Carmichael.  

Imelda previously spoke about her role in the film and likened her time filming Downton Abbey to 'a box of chocolates'.

TV couple: The actor, 71, cut a dapper figure as he posed with wife Imelda Staunton, 63, as she makes her debut in the much-loved period drama

TV couple: The actor, 71, cut a dapper figure as he posed with wife Imelda Staunton, 63, as she makes her debut in the much-loved period drama

Dapper: Looking sharp in a black tuxedo, crisp white shirt and black bow tie, Jim was every inch the star as she joined his co-stars at the world premiere of the Julian Fellowes written extravaganza

Dapper: Looking sharp in a black tuxedo, crisp white shirt and black bow tie, Jim was every inch the star as she joined his co-stars at the world premiere of the Julian Fellowes written extravaganza

The Oscar-nominated actress joined the cast of the much-loved TV show-turned-movie and has said the experience of filming the project was 'just luxury'. 

Speaking to The Mirror, she said: 'It was like a nice box of chocolates. It was just luxury. I’ve done seven years of hardcore theatre, where it just beats me all the time, but this was great.'

The Is It Legal? actress plays Lady Maud Bagshaw, one of Queen Mary's ladies-in-waiting.

Lovely: Meanwhile, Imelda looked elegant in a multicoloured floral gown and nude heels as she cosied up to her husband, whom she married in 1983

Lovely: Meanwhile, Imelda looked elegant in a multicoloured floral gown and nude heels as she cosied up to her husband, whom she married in 1983

Star-studded: The couple appeared in high spirits as they joined other co-stars at the glitzy event including Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery and Laura Carmichael
Cheese: The duo smiled for the camera as they celebrated the film adaptation of the franchise

Star-studded: The couple appeared in high spirits as they joined other co-stars at the glitzy event including Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery and Laura Carmichael

Comparison: Imelda previously spoke about her role in the film and likened her time filming Downton Abbey to 'a box of chocolates'

Comparison: Imelda previously spoke about her role in the film and likened her time filming Downton Abbey to 'a box of chocolates'

As the plot follows a royal visit to Downton, Lady Maud is one of the guests - but also has a past with Maggie Smith's character Violet Crawley.

Lady Maud happens to be the cousin of Violet’s late husband - and they are not the best of friends.

'With Maggie Smith of course there are going to be loads of one-liners,” Imelda said. 'Maggie and I have great stuff. There’s no fisticuffs – but we don’t like each other. I’ve got things to do in that story. I have issues.'

Discussing her real life husband Jim, who plays Lord Grantham’s long-serving butler, Carson, Imelda explained their scenes together were few and far between.

She said: 'Jim and I only got to work together for two or three days. I’d been living with Downton for six or seven years so I did know what was going on, but it was so lovely to be there. It was just very nice to be in amongst that phenomenon.'

Chat: 'It was like a nice box of chocolates. It was just luxury. I’ve done seven years of hardcore theatre, where it just beats me all the time, but this was great'

Chat: 'It was like a nice box of chocolates. It was just luxury. I’ve done seven years of hardcore theatre, where it just beats me all the time, but this was great'

'Just luxury': Imelda Staunton gushed about her time filming Downton Abbey: The Movie [pictured in it with Geraldine James]

'Just luxury': Imelda Staunton gushed about her time filming Downton Abbey: The Movie [pictured in it with Geraldine James]

Opening up further about joining the cast, Imelda told MailOnline at the premiere: 'It was an honour and also because I had a very good storyline so it was very nice to come in and have a challenge to do and not just be a lady in a nice posh frock.'

She then once again gushed about co-star Maggie, enthusing: 'Maggie and I have worked together before but it was great because no one can deliver those lines like she can. Even if we were all given those lines we couldn’t do it like she does. 

'I keep saying that sharing a scene with her an Penelope is like playing Federer and Nadal and I’m up there just trying to get it back over the net.'

On what her husband said about her getting the role, she explained: 'He let me know actually because he had emailed Gareth the producer and he was out watching cricket and he just texted me saying “I think you might be getting a script.”' 

Clash of titans? Imelda plays Lady Maud Bagshaw, who has a past with Maggie Smith's character Violet Crawley [pictured]

Clash of titans? Imelda plays Lady Maud Bagshaw, who has a past with Maggie Smith's character Violet Crawley [pictured]

Keeping it in the family: Also in the longstanding cast is her real life husband Jim, who plays Lord Grantham’s long-serving butler, Carson

Keeping it in the family: Also in the longstanding cast is her real life husband Jim, who plays Lord Grantham’s long-serving butler, Carson

Meanwhile, Jim opened up on filming the movie and returning to his role as Carson.

‘Well, it was quicker,’ he said. ‘A series was filmed in one block from February to August. The film took about ten weeks last autumn.

'But it felt just the same making it, not least because we were playing the same characters. Personally, it was like putting on a pair of old slippers.

'I’d change into Carson’s costume, comb my hair the way he wears it and there he was, as familiar to me as ever.’

Speaking about working with his wife, he told MailOnline at the premiere: 'Well unfortunately we didn’t actually get to work together much. I think we had three days together on set but we didn’t actually speak to each other, much like at home really.

'I saw her across a posh dinner table and across a field of horse and that was it. But it was nice to do something together and here we are together tonight.'

Glad to be back:'It felt just the same making it, not least because we were playing the same characters. Personally, it was like putting on a pair of old slippers'

Glad to be back:'It felt just the same making it, not least because we were playing the same characters. Personally, it was like putting on a pair of old slippers'

Discussing his favourite scene, he added: 'I loved walking back up to the castle because I thought people are going to like this. I felt a bit like Clint Eastwood strolling back into town, probably didn’t look like it.' 

The Downton Abbey movie comes four years after the final episode aired on TV and follows a royal visit to the sprawling manor. It is set in the autumn of 1927.

King George V and Queen Mary, portrayed by cast newcomers Simon Jones and Geraldine James, will grace the Abbey with their company, along with new character Lady Maud Bagshaw, played by Imelda, who also joins the franchise.

The TV series, which aired on ITV from September 2010 until Christmas Day 2015, followed the lives of the aristocratic household during the early 20th century. 

Coming back: 'I’d change into Carson’s costume, comb my hair the way he wears it and there he was, as familiar to me as ever'

Coming back: 'I’d change into Carson’s costume, comb my hair the way he wears it and there he was, as familiar to me as ever'

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Jim Carter, 71, walks the red carpet with wife Imelda Staunton, 63

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