'Downton Abbey' producer: 'Maggie Smith is a handful' Published Saturday, Apr 7 2012, 12:19pm EDT | By Tom Eames | (DIGITAL SPY)

"Maggie Smith is a handful, it's true," she said at a recent US screening. "She's very difficult. She knows her worth, and she's tricky on the set, but she delivers when the time comes."

Eaton added that she agreed to join the series when she heard about Smith's casting. "I heard that Maggie Smith had been cast to be in it and I thought, 'We have to do it'. Because she, like Judi Dench, like Eileen Atkins - there are a few British actors, if they're in, I want it because I just think they're going to be good."


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