“She was wonderful to write for…”

Over the past seven decades, many esteemed scriptwriters, such as Alan Bennett and Neil Simon, have relished crafting dialogue when they knew it would be spoken by acting legends like Dame Maggie Smith. And the payoff has been significant, both on screen and in their trophy collections, including an Oscar for his 2002 screenplay “Gosford Park” and numerous Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and BAFTA Awards for his sprawling TV period drama “Downton Abbey.

“It’s just me”

JULIAN FELLOWES From the very start, Violet’s character strikes you as fantastic, doesn’t it? I write these roles for actors like you because some, as they age, tend to become overly emotional. You possess a unique talent in portraying deep emotions without resorting to sentimentality.