(L-R) Actors Phyllis Logan, Tom Cullen, Lesley Nicol, Sophie McShera, Joanne Froggatt, Raquel Cassidy, Kevin Doyle, Julian Ovenden, Allen Leech and Jeremy Swift, winners for Outstanding Performance By an Ensemble in a Drama Series ‘Downton Abbey,’ pose in the press room at the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium (Photo by Dan MacMedan/WireImage)
Joanne Froggatt has been busy since “Downton Abbey” came to an end last year, but that doesn’t mean she’s not eager to step back into Anna Bates’ shoes once again.
“I think there’s every chance we may do a movie at some point,” the actress told CNN Thursday at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s annual grants banquet. “We don’t know for sure yet. But there’s definitely lots of talk about it.”
While Froggatt said little is known about the concept for a possible “Downton Abbey” movie, she believes a script has been written.
“No one’s seen it yet, but I think there is some sort of script from what I can tell — or ideas or something,” she said.
When the show wrapped last spring after six seasons on PBS, “Downton Abbey’s” creator Julian Fellowes told the Daily News a movie version “is likely.” Froggatt said she hopes the period drama about wealthy Crawley family and their servants would pick up where the show ended.
“If they do ‘Downton’ 10: The Movie,’ maybe we won’t be on there anymore. Maybe we move onto the kids,” she said with a laugh. “We’ll have to see where they’re go with it.”
For now, Froggatt said the cast is “keen” on the idea, “but it’s just sort of getting it together and finding the right time.”
That may prove difficult. Froggatt alone has spent her post-“Downton Abbey” days working on five independent films (scheduled to release later this year and in early 2017) and playing the notorious English serial killer Mary Ann Cotton for a miniseries to air on ITV and later PBS.
Froggatt was on hand with a slew of other famous faces Thursday to present $2.4 million in grants to over 60 non-profit entertainment organizations, including California Institute for the Arts, the American Film Institute, California State Summer School Arts Foundation and Lollipop Theater Network.
“I think it’s really important to support the arts in this way and I’m so happy to be here,” the actress said.
