Dan Stevens: Fantastic Fest Review: 'The Guest' is Cool & Kick Ass, As It Should Be

FIRST SHOWING
by Jeremy Kirk
September 23, 2014



Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett are Fantastic Fest staples thanks to their surprise smash You're Next in 2011. The movie matched a cool, riotous attitude with a home invasion sub-genre that had been poking its head at horror audiences for years. Now they've again brought a cool, riotous attitude in droves. The Guest is more action than horror, but the edge is still there. Aided by Wingard's enormous talent for mood, an '80s vibe that isn't just pink neon and a synthesized score, and a rousing performance from Dan Stevens, The Guest delivers a sharp, swift punch to the chest of bland action and banal thrillers. Read on!

Stevens plays David, a soldier just returning home from a long tour. His first stop upon returning to American soil is to the family of Caleb, a fellow soldier who died in combat and who David promised he would check in on his family. At first, the family (mother Laura played by Sheila Kelley, father Spencer played by Leland Orser, teenaged daughter Anna played by Maika Monroe, and young son Luke played by Brendan Meyer) are unsure what to make of David, this friendly and seemingly peaceful stranger who's just appeared on their doorstep. Laura, still jostled by the loss of her oldest son, jumps at the chance to welcome David into their home. Slowly but surely, the other members of the family fall in favor for the new addition, but you know the drill. David's secret past is about to catch up to him, and more than a few innocent people are gonna get into the crosshairs.

As with You're Next, Barrett's screenplay moves quickly, the skills David picked up while serving coming into fast, impactful play against a couple of school bullies who have targeted Luke. The film makes no bones about the badassery stored inside David, but it finds its room to breathe in developing his connection with the individual members of the family. They each have their own secrets, normal, banal secret that quietly haunt most, American families. David's secret, however, is a ripper of a revelation, and, also like You're Next, its cool, kinetic drive keeps you guessing where the next turn is going to lead you. The Guest's kinetic pace is assisted tremendously by Wingard, a director who finds a way of pouring on the slickness and style with minimal help from a modest budget.

Regardless, the action that kicks in throughout the film is as polished as anything big-budget Hollywood has to offer. The explosions may not be quite as big, but damned if they don't still pack a cool kick. Likewise, Wingard cranks the atmosphere volume up a few notches, Steve Moore's poppy and hip score adding to the coolness of it all. The mood gives The Guest's Halloween setting a supporting nudge for genre fans and providing a nostalgic, somewhat tongue-in-cheek mood for the '80s-inspired thriller.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/fantastic-fest-review-the-guest-is-cool-kick-ass-as-it-should-be/

Downton Abbey Season 4 an Even Bigger Hit

GPB BLOG
By Rosemary Jean-Louis
Posted March 27, 2014 9:01am (EDT)



Season four of “Downton Abbey” was a bigger hit than season 3. An average of 13.2 million viewers watched this season reinforcing Downton's status as PBS’ highest-rated drama in history.

By contrast, season 3 amassed 11.5 million viewers.

Airing “Sherlock” after Downton was a good strategy. The average audience for “Sherlock” increased 46 percent from season 2.

Downton’s Social Media Takeover

According to Social Guide Intelligencer, Downton generated more than 280,000 tweets and 35.6 million impressions. These came out despite competition from Super Bowl XLVIII, the Golden Globes and the Olympics.



No Matthew, No Problem

Some critics and fans speculated that the absence of Dan Stevens, in the form of Matthew Crawley, would spell the end of the show. (Fans are still sore about his unexpected tragic death at the end of season 3. Stevens still apologizes for his departure in interviews.)

The absence of cousin Matthew didn’t repel fans at all. Many fans gave season four of “Downton Abbey” a thumbs up.


READ MORE HERE: http://www.gpb.org/blogs/desperate-for-downton/2014/03/27/downton-abbey-season-4-an-even-bigger-hit

Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery Happy To Lose Husband Matthew Crawley With Dan Stevens' Departure

HUFF ENTERTAINMENT
Caroline FrostBecome a fan
Caroline.Frost@huffingtonpost.com



'Downton Abbey's Lady Mary Crawley may have been left reeling from the sudden death of her husband Matthew Crawley, but actress Michelle Dockery admits she was far more agreeable to the changes it brought to her character.

"We all had that choice to stay or go for Series four and five," she tells HuffPostUK. "I respected Dan Stevens’ decision, we all did. There’s positives to everything. I think for the storyline, I wonder where it could have gone with Mary and Matthew had Dan decided to stay. Happiness... ?" she shrugs, acknowledging that such contentment doesn't make for great drama.

Instead, viewers have watched Lady Mary sleepwalk around the house for the last series, with Michelle glad she's finally emerging from her year of widowed gloom.

"Towards the end of Series 4, Mary had a little bit of mojo coming back," she laughs. "That sharper wittier edge coming back. Her sense of humour is returning, so I’m really excited to see where it goes."

In the film 'Non-Stop', in cinemas this week, Michelle acts alongside Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore in an airborne thriller, where they must work to save the passengers' lives when one traveller goes very much rogue. As air stewardess Nancy, Michelle is warm and purry, a million air miles from Lady Mary's porcelain veneer, something Michelle seems relieved about...

READ MORE HERE: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/02/24/michelle-dockery-downton-abbey-lady-mary-crawley_n_4846568.html

Dan Stevens On Watching Downton Abbey: “It was Very Emotional”

GPB BLOGS
By Rosemary Jean-Louis
Posted January 10, 2014 5:00am (EST)



Like the rest of us “peasants,” Dan Stevens watched the premiere of Downton Abbey season four last week. He told the TODAY show it felt weird.

"It was really wonderful to see everyone again," he said. "It was very emotional, very weird watching people dealing with my own death. It was strange."

The guy who will forever be known as the man who killed Matthew Crawley apologized for doing so yet again and realizes that he’ll probably say sorry for the rest of his life.

"A lot of people were quite upset by that," Stevens admitted on TODAY . "I spend a lot of my time apologizing. Yeah, I get a lot of, 'My wife was very upset by this. You have to apologize to my wife!' Then they call them over. 'Katherine! Come over here. This is the young man that upset you.' 'Say sorry!' You have to apologize, in public ... a lot, almost every day."

READ MORE HERE: http://www.gpb.org/blogs/desperate-for-downton/2014/01/10/dan-stevens-on-watching-downton-abbey-%E2%80%9Cit-was-very-emotional%E2%80%9D

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Dan Stevens: A year after his shock exit, he's still waiting for his big Hollywood break

MAIL ONLINE
By TOM LEONARD
PUBLISHED: 17:00 EST, 26 December 2013 | UPDATED: 17:00 EST, 26 December 2013

This time last year, we were still reeling with shock at the unexpected demise of Downton Abbey’s handsome Matthew Crawley, the man who was to be the saviour of the Grantham earldom.

Millions of viewers watched in disbelief when Matthew died in the wreck of his car after crashing on the way back to Downton after seeing his beloved Lady Mary and their newborn son in hospital.

The savage twist had been a well-kept secret, which gave added impact to the element of surprise.

The series has had its ups and downs since then — some of which have been blamed on the plot upset of Matthew’s brutal end and the departure of Dan Stevens, who played him.

Stevens had blown a huge hole in the most beloved TV drama of recent times after deciding he was leaving the Granthams and their stuffy Edwardian manners to move to New York and try to advance his acting career in the New World.

There were whispers that the rest of the cast were less than pleased, particularly when, as it turned out, this year’s fourth series suffered a dip in ratings without Matthew the pin-up boy.

Julian Fellowes had toyed with the idea of writing a plot line that involved Matthew moving to New York on business, leaving Downton’s huge oak door slightly ajar so that he could return for the odd episode when his other commitments allowed, but Stevens didn’t want to come back, so that was that.

Stevens himself is unapologetic. ‘I made my decision for myself, but I didn’t make it alone,’ he has explained. 

‘It felt the right thing to do. Also, it excited me to follow my instinct which said this is the right time. It’s just a nice feeling to have when you can trust yourself.

‘I’d had a great three years in Downton. Fond memories, lovely cast, but it was just time. We didn’t expect it to be such a success and when we came together for the second series, we were all a bit shell-shocked. And by series three, it almost seemed ridiculous how big the show had become.

‘I gave them plenty of warning — it wasn’t like I slammed the door and walked out. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to face. On paper, it looked mad to walk away, but it felt like the right time. I’ve got an appetite to learn new things. There was no rancour. Julian was very gracious about it’.

In spite of Matthew Crawley’s demise, Downton remains immensely successful on both sides of the Atlantic.

Whether the same can be said of 31-year-old Stevens is another matter.

For young British actors, the lure of the U.S. is hard to resist, especially if they have already been love-bombed by fans.

And for some it works out wonderfully. Benedict Cumberbatch, for instance, first came to the attention of American audiences as the  star of the BBC drama  series Sherlock.

Suddenly, he seems to be everywhere: the villain in the latest Star Trek film, in the Edwardian TV drama Parade’s End — a U.S.-UK collaboration — and even as the voice of Smaug the dragon in the new Hobbit film.

The dreadful film The Fifth Estate, in which Cumberbatch played Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, was a rare flop on his recent CV. But for Stevens — who appeared in it as a Guardian journalist — it was probably the acting highlight of his year.

His other recent release, Summer In February, was another Edwardian period piece, this time about a Cornish artists’ colony. As with The Fifth Estate, it was drubbed by the critics and withered at the box office. Even supportive tweets from famous friends of Stevens such as Gordon Brown’s wife Sarah and Stephen Fry couldn’t save it.

The public school-educated actor originally moved to New York for only six months to make his Broadway debut alongside Hollywood star Jessica Chastain in the Victorian period play The Heiress.

Many reviewers were enthusiastic, but the all-powerful New York Times critic Ben Brantley damned Stevens with faint praise, saying his performance was ‘shiny, well spoken and lacking in discernible undercurrents’.

Instead of moving back to Britain at the end of the run, Stevens stayed — with his wife, South African singer Susie Hariet, and their children, Willow, four, and Aubrey, one. They now live in a fashionable part of Brooklyn, with the Manhattan skyline looming across the  East River.

READ MORE HERE: 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2529566/So-Dan-REALLY-happy-ditched-Downton-A-year-shock-exit-hes-waiting-big-Hollywood-break.html

Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery: 'I still miss Dan Stevens'

WHATS ON TV

10:13am, Wednesday, 25 September 2013

Downton Abbey actress Michelle Dockery opens up to TV Times magazine about missing Dan Stevens, inspiring Kate Middleton and becoming an international superstar…

What happens to Lady Mary this series?

"She’s stuck in limbo after Matthew’s death. For me it felt like going back to series one because there’s that coldness about Mary again. I like that side of her character, so I enjoyed playing it. As you saw from the first episode she finds it difficult to bond with her baby at first because he reminds her of Matthew. But she’s an artistocrat with a nanny so she’s not exactly a struggling single mother!"

Has Mary’s grief presented a range of challenges for you?

"I love kids, so it was hard to ignore my instincts while we were filming those scenes. I just wanted to coo over the babies. It was also really tough doing the scene in the first episode when Mary is so brutal towards Carson. I love that it’s him who pulls her out of her depression, but it’s hard to be unpleasant to Jim Carter – he’s the nicest man in the world!"

The public were outraged at Matthew Crawley's death at Christmas. Were you surprised by the reaction?

"Matthew was a really well-loved character and Dan was such a wonderful part of the show, so I think it was inevitable that people were angry – they felt they had invested a lot in Matthew and Mary."

Did you see the Christmas special?

"I was watching the episode with my family, so I sat there with a box of Ferrero Rocher wondering what their reaction was going to be. They couldn’t believe I hadn’t told them. I had lots of texts saying, 'No!!'"

Do you think that death was the only plausible exit story line for Matthew?

"He couldn’t very well just disappear never to return. It was inevitable that he had to die, but reading that last episode was just heartbreaking."

Read more at http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/downton-abbey/news/downton-abbeys-michelle-dockery-i-still-miss-dan-stevens#0UZgmhhJfVggHAcA.99

Dan Stevens: I'm based in US for now (INDEPENDENT)

16 JUNE 2013

Dan Stevens has revealed he is basing himself in America for the moment because it "makes sense" for his career.

The Downton Abbey star moved with his wife and two small children to Brooklyn while he starred with Jessica Chastain in The Heiress on Broadway recently.

Since his Downton Abbey character Matthew Crawley was killed off, he has filmed Hollywood action movie A Walk Among The Tombstones with Liam Neeson and Julian Asange biopic The Fifth Estate.

Dan said of moving to America: "I don't know about for good but we're living there at the moment. And for work it makes sense for me to be there at the minute.

"But it's good to be back. I'm coming back in the summer to shoot Swallows And Amazons, we're doing a feature film adaptation of that, but in between I'm off back to the States to do an American independent film. So I hope I can keep hopping back and forth across the pond. I enjoy both."

The 30-year-old actor produced and starred in his latest film Summer In February, a period love story set amid the Lamorna Group of artists in Cornwall. It is based on a book written by his former teacher Jonathan Smith.

READ MORE: http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/movies/stevens-im-based-in-us-for-now-29348365.html

Downton Abbey news: Dan Stevens hints at possible movie of the show (SO FEMININE.CO.UK)

Dan, who played Matthew Crawley on the ITV period drama before he crashed out in December, would be up for starring in the movie.

He told Metro: "I think we could start afresh if we hit the big screen and I would be up for that."

Dan seems to be alluding to his controversial exit from the show, which left many devastated - even show creator Julian Fellowes didn't seem happy.

Julian reportedly said after Dan's exit, which aired on Christmas Day when Matthew crashed his car on the day Lady Mary gave birth to his baby son: "I had no choice.
"Dan would not stay - he was determined to go. Everyone liked him and thought he was fantastic."

“I tried to persuade him to come back just for one episode of the next series so we could give Matthew and Mary a happy ending but he wanted to go off to America.


READ MORE: http://www.sofeminine.co.uk/celebrities/downton-abbey-news-dan-stevens-hints-at-possible-movie-of-the-show-s61001.html

Dame Maggie Smith looks cheery as she continues filming series four of Downton Abbey… despite graveyard setting By FAY STRANG (MAIL ON LINE)

he cast of Downton Abbey were spotted filming funeral scenes around the grave of Matthew Crawley back in March of this year.

And by the looks of it the graveyard is going to be a recurring set for the fourth series of the TV show as Dame Maggie Smith, who plays Dowager Countess of Grantham, was spotted filming there once again on Thursday.

But rather than looking downbeat, the actress appeared delighted to be back on set as well as very glamorous, while filming scenes alongside Penelope Wilton.

Standing by the graveyard the 78-year-old star looked in a good mood despite the fact she was surrounded by graves.

She was joined by Penelope Wilton, who plays Isobel Crawley and was wearing a far less extravagant ensemble but also a hat.

It is likely they were filming a scene regarding the death of Isobel’s son Matthew, which occurred at the end of series three.

The two women chatted by a grave stone and Maggie’s character even switched outfits –putting on an embroidered purple coat and hat.

A number of extras were also seen milling around on set creating an authentic atmosphere for the popular ITV show.

READ MORE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2326072/Dame-Maggie-Smith-looks-cheery-continues-filming-series-Downton-Abbey--despite-graveyard-setting.html

Dan Stevens’ First Movie Role Post-’Downton Abbey’ By Brigid Brown | Posted on May 15th, 2013 (BBC America)

 

Dan Stevens stars opposite Emily Browning in Summer in February. (Crossday)
Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens, who played Matthew Crawley on the series, is hoping to prove that there’s life after death.

To the dismay of fans, his heartthrob character on the hit British TV show–possible spoiler ahead if you’ve been living in Antarctica–was killed in an automobile crash in the Season 3 finale because Stevens wanted off the show at the end of his 3-year contract. (The episode aired on Christmas Day in the U.K. and on Feb. 10 in the U.S.)

Next month will mark the first test of Stevens’ post-Downtown career when Summer in February, a film in which he has a starring role, opens on June 14 in U.K. movie theaters. Will his Downton devotees turn out en masse or will they boycott him because he deserted their favorite show?

A romantic drama, Summer also features fellow Brit Dominic Cooper and Australian actress Emily Browning.

READ MORE: http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2013/05/watch-dan-stevens-first-movie-role-post-downton-abbey/

Dan Stevens: Downton Abbey Creator Julian Fellowes Says A Polite ‘Sod Off’ To Dan Stevens 16 hours ago (CRUSHABLE)

by Alexis Rhiannon

Maybe you think I’m belaboring this point by still not being over the fact that Dan Stevens so unceremoniously left Downton Abbey, but if you’ve ever seen the show, you know that my response is perfectly natural. Dan played Matthew Crawley on the show, and I don’t think I’m exaggerating to say that he and Lady Mary were the Jim and Pam of their time. The will-they-won’t-they is what kept me getting up in the morning and marching into the cold cruel world of New York dating. I knew that no matter how many Evelyn Napiers I came across who were willing to blackmail me within an inch of my petticoats, there was one shimmering glimmering Matthew Crawley hiding amongst them, ready to dab my brow and grin at me ruefully from underneath his blond tips.

But now I no longer get to cling to that fantasy because (SPOILER ALERT!) it turns out that when you love someone and they love you, and you cross time and space to meet in the middle and get married and have a baby…he dies in a fucking car accident on the way home and bleeds out from his headbrain. How tasteful. And how sudden, too, you might be thinking, eh? Well, I agree. And you know who else might agree? Julian Fellowes, the show’s creator. He wants everyone to know that it wasn’t his choice to end things so abruptly — he wanted to leave the pair with more of a happy ever after, but Dan made it impossible:

READ MORE: http://www.crushable.com/2013/04/19/entertainment/dan-stevens-downton-abbey-departure-julian-fellowes-statement-matthew-crawley/

Dan Stevens to star in 'Swallows and Amazons' film Published Thursday, Apr 4 2013, 4:57am EDT |DIGITAL SPY

Dan Stevens has reportedly signed up to star in a new adaptation of Swallows and Amazons.

The former Downton Abbey star will appear as James Turner - also known as Captain Flint - in the new production, reports The Sun.

Producer Nick Barton's project - a collaboration with Harbour Pictures and BBC Films - will start filming in the UK this summer.

Arthur Ransome's classic children's novel follows the lives of the Walker and Blackett children one summer. The last film version was released in 1974, while Neil Hannon produced a musical version in 2010.

Barton said: "We have gone right back to the original books. The reason I wanted to do this film was that I read all of the books when I was a child and loved them."

Read more: http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/s183/downton-abbey/news/a470441/downton-abbeys-dan-stevens-to-star-in-swallows-and-amazons-film.html#ixzz2Pc6om5Mc 
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Dan Stevens' heart felt words in reaction to Downton Abbey's audience devastation at his character's death in the show

NEW YORK — “Downton Abbey” fans were devastated when Matthew Crawley made his dramatic exit from the series at the end of the show’s third season. The actor who played him, however, is less emotional about the plot point.

“It’s nice that people care, I suppose, about the show, but yeah, you know ... I had to do what I had to do,”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og4OJKu3VHk

(Is it me or is Dan even sounding less British, and more American.  "Yeah...")

READ MORE:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/dan-stevens-responds-to-fan-reaction-to-downton-abbey-exit-its-nice-that-people-care/2013/03/21/b53d3aba-928d-11e2-9173-7f87cda73b49_story.html?tid=pm_entertainment_pop 

Dan Stevens: What's Happened To Cousin Matthew? Dan Stevens Parties With The Hipsters In New York Posted: 22/03/13 | Updated: 22/03/13 (MY DAILY) Ellen Stewart

 BREAKING NEWS KLAXON! Cousin Matthew has turned into a hipster. Dan Stevens was partying with New York's coolest on Thursday at the opening of The Big British Invite. The former Downtown Abbey star was unrecognisable as he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Alexa Chung, Estelle (apparently she's famous in the States) and Tali Lennox.

READ MORE: http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2013/03/22/dan-stevens-parties-with-alexa-chung-in-new-york_n_2930506.html

spoiler: dan stevens' downton abbey replacement revealed Feb 19th 2013, 11:24 | By Nola Ojomu (HANDBAG.COM)

After the death of Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey's Christmas resulting in Dan Stevens' leaving the show, sources say Miranda star Tom Ellis will be Lady Mary's new love interest.

The actor, who is married to Tamsin Outhwaite, is thought to have left producers impressed after his audition.

Speaking to The Daily Mail, a source said, "He really showed his versatility, and he's also incredibly popular with the female viewers."

READ MORE: http://www.handbag.com/celebrity/news/a459926/spoiler-dan-stevens-downton-abbey-replacement-revealed.html

'Downton Abbey' breaks our hearts and shows our world being born (LA TIMES)

By David Horsey
February 19, 2013, 12:01 a.m.

Another season of "Downton Abbey" has swiftly gone by, and those of us who are fans deserve a break.

The tragic death of one character -- Lady Sybil -- was hard enough to take, but when the final episode concluded with the upright Matthew Crawley dying in a car wreck reminiscent of the opening scene in "Lawrence of Arabia," it was simply too much manipulation of our tender heartstrings. We need some time to grieve while the writers concoct new twists in a storyline that had tied up most of the loose ends at the close of Season 3.

I confess I'll not miss Matthew all that much. After he got through the curious torture of deciding whether to accept a fortune from the will of his dead fiancee’s father (was there ever any doubt that he’d take the money and save Downton?), he became a rather bland presence in the crowded cast.

I loved his vintage sports cars but was put off by his weak English chin (too much like my own, I suppose). His prickly, complicated wife, Mary, is the character viewers of the show hate or love (I think she’s terrific), and she was getting a bit too domesticated by being married to him. Now, she’ll be free to let her sharp edges poke through in a new plotline for the next season.

READ MORE: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-downtown-abbey-20130219,0,6714589.story

Downton Tragedy: Will Dan Stevens Be George Clooney or David Caruso? (SHOWBIZ 411)

02/18/13 2:32amRoger Friedman

WITH SPOILERS: By now, most fans of “Downton Abbey” in the US know what the Brits learned on Christmas Day: Matthew Crawley is most sincerely dead. After seeing his newborn son, Matthew died in automobile accident, on camera, blood pouring out of his head. Series creator Julian Fellowes and the producers took out their most decided unhappiness about actor Dan Stevens leaving them after three seasons. Stevens as much as told us this at the Broadway premiere of “The Heiress” when his rude publicist almost tackled me to get him away.

Stevens had been giving interviews saying he’d brought his family to America and was looking forward to sticking around. He’s walked away from the best show on television on two continents and massive popularity. So what now? Will he follow in the footsteps of George Clooney and make a successful transition to movies? Or will Stevens become the British equivalent of David Caruso, who spurned “NYPD Blue” years ago for a movie career that fizzled immediately? It’s hard to say. Remember Clooney stuck with “ER” for several years before making that full time jump. It was Caruso who left “NYPD Blue” right away.

Stevens might very well have stuck it out for two more seasons of “Downton.” After all, the show only produces a handful of episodes per season–it’s not like he was required to make 22 episodes. And he squandered the good will of fans he was courting for future work.

Mary (Michelle Dockery) won’t be alone for along. Fellowes is already casting for a new love interest, not a husband, but an intermediary fellow. And it wouldn’ surprise anyone if the fifth season endgame brings Mary together with her brother-in-law, Tom Branson, the former chauffeur.

READ MORE: http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/02/18/downton-tragedy-will-dan-stevens-be-george-clooney-or-david-caruso

'Downton Abbey' actor reveals passion for writing Dan Stevens, otherwise known as Matthew Crawley, is a literary star off-screen (TODAY BOOKS)

By Rachel Elbaum
TODAY contributor
updated 2/24/2012 1:59:52 PM ET

Millions of women have fallen in love with “Downton Abbey’s” Matthew Crawley, known in real life as Dan Stevens. But Stevens, 28, is more than a gifted actor with piercing blue eyes and a disarming smile. He is also an accomplished writer, the editor-at-large of the new literary magazine “The Junket,” and regular contributor to the Telegraph newspaper’s "My Week" feature.

Stevens, who studied English Literature at Cambridge, is currently in the midst of filming the love story, “Summer in February,” on location in Cornwall, as well as the third season of "Downton Abbey."

“The dawn eventually thaws us to reveal a serene and clear blue day, while the rest of the country is dusted with snow, slush and chaos,” he wrote in this month's My Week piece, published on Tuesday. “There is always a risk in making a film called ‘Summer in February’ in a Cornish winter, but the gods are with us this particular day and beneath the weatherproofed hoods and wind-chapped faces of the crew you can detect a few glowing smiles through the frosted beards.”

Stevens' love for literature began at Cambridge University, where he studied English just around the time that his acting career started to blossom. He started a writing blog several years ago with four friends from his college days.

But while the blog was meant to encourage the group to write more often, procrastination got the better of them. Instead of putting their ambitions by the wayside, the men decided to start a quarterly literary magazine, figuring that it would require a commitment they couldn’t so easily shirk.


READ MORE: http://www.today.com/id/46501762/site/todayshow/ns/today-books/t/downton-abbey-actor-reveals-passion-writing/#.UQw7loc1k8d

'Downton Abbey' EP Says Talk of Dan Stevens' Departure Should Be Taken With 'Pinch of Salt' (THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)

1:05 PM PST 12/13/2012 by Michael O'Connell

After word of the British series' three Golden Globe noms, Gareth Neame tells THR that 95 percent of the things written about his show are "completely inaccurate."

Downton Abbey is still having a moment. The British import, which received three Golden Globe nominations Thursday morning, continues to linger in headlines despite not having aired a new episode in the U.S. since February.

Nearing the end of its third season's U.K. run and already commissioned for a fourth, the latest rumor has been of star Dan Stevens and the suggestion that the actor may not reprise his role of Matthew Crawley. Executive producer Gareth Neame says fans might be getting concerned over nothing.

"There's been so much speculation about this cast," Neame told The Hollywood Reporter, reacting to its latest accolades. "The thing with the show is, because we don't make a long run -- we shoot about 11 hours of TV a year -- our actors have the opportunity to go and do other work."

READ MORE: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/downton-abbey-ep-says-talk-402097

Dan Stevens, Jessica Chastain: The Heiress Opening Night party

The after-effects of Hurricane Sandy didn't stop the Broadway opening night of Ruth & Augustus Goetz's The Heiress, which went on as scheduled on Thursday, November 1. Following the 6pm performance at the Walter Kerr Theatre, the cast, creative team, and guests headed to the swanky after party at the Edison Ballroom.

Jessica Chastain, Dan Stevens, David Strathairn, and Judith Ivey lead the cast of the revival, which is directed by Moises Kaufman. The company also includes Molly Camp, Kieran Campion, Virginia Kull, Ben Livingston, Dee Nelson, and Caitlin O'Connell.

READ MORE: http://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/news/11-2012/matt-bomer-jessica-chastain-dan-stevens-and-more-m_63631.html#17