I get so excited about reading a new script.

I had dance training from a very young age, 3 or 4... It taught me how to present myself, about preparation and working in an ensemble, and its something that carries with me to this day.

I think the success of 'Downton' is partly because there are effectively 18 leading characters, all given equal importance, so it's enormously involving on many levels. But also, it's a new story. It's not like Dickens or Austen, where everyone knows the denouement.

In the early '20s, with the war over, there was a period of celebration, and you can see it in the fashion.

For years, I was often afraid to speak up when I didn't fully understand a script. I'd tie myself in knots.

I get so excited about reading a new script.

Cooking can cure almost anything.