Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale star reveals whether Matthew Goode absence impacted Lady Mary plot
Matthew Goode's Henry Talbot is absent from the final Downton Abbey film, The Grand Finale.
Actress Michelle Dockery has opened up about Matthew Goode's absence from Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.
The third and final film in the Downton Abbey series brings the entire franchise to a close and sees Lady Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery) facing a fresh scandal when it becomes public that she is now divorced.
Mary's now ex-husband, Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode), was last seen in the first Downton Abbey film in 2019 but was absent in the second film, A New Era, with the character having gone travelling and marital issues being hinted at.
Goode previously revealed to Deadline that he had hoped to feature in a small role in the third film for a short scene with Dockery, but scheduling conflicts and medical issues prevented this.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com ahead of the release of The Grand Finale, Dockery suggested that had Goode featured in the film, there would not have been a major change to the plot.
"I think the seeds were planted in the second film," said Dockery, "because you knew that there was trouble between them. So, I think that was the plan quite early on that they would divorce and whether Matthew would be part of that in the movie, had he been in it, the story would have remained the same. So it was definitely something that I saw coming."
Of course, despite losing her marriage to Henry, Lady Mary remains a key figure at Downton for the final instalment. The future of the Crawley family and their home is a major point of discussion, particularly following the passing of the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley (the late Dame Maggie Smith).
Dockery previously told Radio Times magazine about working with the late Smith: "I was always slightly nervous going into those scenes, even though we were great friends and we worked together for 15 years."
She continued: "I will treasure those moments, and how we played Bananagrams between scenes. She was so good at it, and so sweet."
In addition to the returning cast members, new additions include Simon Russell Beale, Alessandro Nivola, Joely Richardson, and Arty Froushan as playwright Noël Coward.
Read More:
- Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale cast and creator talk saying goodbye to beloved franchise - and the potential for spin-offs
- Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale first reviews are in - and its early Rotten Tomatoes score has been revealed
- Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale star reveals whether fan-favourite couple are due a happy ending
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will be released in UK cinemas on 12th September 2025. All seasons of Downton Abbey are available to stream on Disney Plus, ITVX, and Netflix.
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Lewis is the News and Trends Editor at Radio Times and leads our approach to news, reactive content, and serving audience demands and interests. An obsessive fan of television and film, Lewis is a Nicole Kidman fanatic with a side of passion for science-fiction, art-house cinema and the latest HBO drama. Lewis has a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Film Studies. After working in advertising, Lewis worked at The Mirror for three years in community management and SEO, showbiz, film and television reporting.
