I think the first time I realised Downton Abbey was a hit was when I was sitting in a tea shop in New York and the couple next to me were talking about Downton Abbey, and then they recognised me.

I get so excited about reading a new script.

The last time I cried? My godchildren went to see Taylor Swift in concert and got to meet her. They literally ran toward her and hugged her, and it was amazing. I got big bonus points for it. I'll remind them when they're teenagers.

I think some period drama can be quite alienating, but 'Downton' isn't. This is going to sound quite, um, pretentious, but someone said that it's like a soap written by a poet.

Shakespeare's work is like a good song: you never really forget the main lines.

I don't mind wearing a corset; it informs your posture, changes the way you move, you can't slouch.

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