Will Cinderella’s Lily James Be Back for Downton Abbey 2?

Viewers were delighted with the English actress Lily James and her performance in the 2015 live-action Cinderella opposite a very charming Richard Madden; her innocent open nature, kind heart, and gorgeous dresses all solidified her standing as a wonderful Disney princess. However, many audience members also already knew her as the lovestruck Lady Rose on the hit period drama Downton Abbey–and those fans were disappointed to see that she did not appear in the Downton Abbey movie. Although many actors often miss out on film projects due to previous engagements and film shoots (sometimes missing out on huge opportunities in the process), Lily James actually did not appear in the Downton Abbey movie because her character didn’t suit the film’s plotline.

When viewers last saw Lady Rose, she was off to America, and according to James, “My character Rose moved off to New York, so it would be farfetched to bring her back”. James was clearly disappointed by the news, saying “I would have loved to have come back for a scene, but for a movie it can’t be like a Christmas special and it needs to be a focused storyline. There was no space for Rose”. So far, she will not be returning in the second film (although new cast members like Hugh Dancy and Dominic West are being included).

However, Lily James expressed her excitement for her fellow cast members during the first movie’s premiere, saying that she was “so excited for it” and was “going to be front row“. She also keeps in touch with Laura Carmichael, who plays Edith, and consistently texts Michelle Dockery (aka Lady Mary) about shared interests like the show “Love Island”. Since she was so supportive during the first movie’s release, it’s a safe bet that she’ll be supporting them even if Lady Rose doesn’t show up in the movie’s sequel.

Are you an avid follower of Lily James and her work? Which character of hers is your favorite, Cinderella or Lady Rose?