Downton Abbey: A New Era is already out in UK theaters, with US audiences among those who have to wait until May 20th’s batch of 2022 movie releases to experience the ride. That hasn’t stopped spoilers from escaping, and domestic fans avoiding those plot points like the plague, thanks to some rather dreadful speculation promising the death of an “iconic character.” Apparently, that wasn’t the only dread on the set of this latest film, as some of the women in the cast weren’t so sure old-timey bathing suits were going to make for a flattering image.
Tuppence Middleton, who joined the Downton Abbey family in the previous 2019 film as Lucy Bagshaw, voiced this particular concern when it came to filming A New Era. As the cast spoke with The Mirror, Middleton told the following story about one particular challenge that turned into a comfort when making this year’s anticipated sequel:
There’s such a specific shape and fit. So we spent weeks dreading having to be in front of the camera. But actually, that’s the beauty of Anna [Robbins, the costume designer], she makes everything fit people’s bodies perfectly. And they were just so lovely that I kind of actually really liked the swimming costumes in the end.
Downton Abbey: A New Era shows off a brief moment in the latest trailer featuring this swimwear in action. One such point does happen to take place with Tuppence Middleton and her on-screen husband, Allen Leech’s Thomas Branson. Having a heart to heart on the sand, the couple engage in dialogue about their family’s future, and how it connects to the Dowager Countess’ mysterious new inheritance.
Naturally, we’re staying away from spoilers until a wider group of audience members has seen the film, but this Downton Abbey moment shows off the amazing work of costume designer Anna Robbins’ stellar designs. While they may not have been as difficult as the most challenging outfits from Downton Abbey: The Movie, it’s still quite a task to create period accurate swimsuits.
From what we’ve seen so far, the results are absolutely flawless. Don't take our word for it though, as a convenient screenshot is included below. If you're not up to revisiting the trailer, out of fear you make some theoretical connection to a piece of dialogue you hadn't thought too hard about previously, this is for you:
Mysteries continue to abound in Downton Abbey 2, but one thing that's not questioned is just how comfortable those swimming costumes look. Maybe if this new cinematic expansion is popular enough, a whole line will be released for the public to get their hands on. It's a possibility that, when you think about it, isn't dreadful at all.
Downton Abbey: A New Era is currently showing in UK cinemas, with May 20th marking the US audience’s turn to get in on the fun and tears. While waiting for the big day, feel free to read our official review on the sequel, which is also devoid of spoilers. Last, but not least, it's not too late for Peacock subscribers to revisit the entire series, as well as the previous film, as at the time of this writing the entire Downton legacy is streaming on that platform.
