Paul Giamatti has spoken about returning to the Downton Abbey franchise for the upcoming third film, describing the production as shaped by the absence of Dame Maggie Smith, who died in September 2024.

In an interview with People, Giamatti said the cast continued working with her memory in mind. “It was not the same without her, but it felt very much like in her honor in some way,” he said. “She certainly still feels present through the whole thing. Not having her there is obviously a huge loss, but everybody was still acting in her spirit.”

Giamatti plays Harold Levinson, the brother of Cora Crawley, a role he first portrayed during the show’s 2013 Christmas special. Although his initial appearance was limited to one episode, Giamatti said he was surprised to be invited back. “The interesting thing for me was that they even asked me at all because I was like,...