Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern talk ‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’ | Entertainment

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Downton Abbey: A New Era hits theaters this weekend, which means the beloved characters fans have come to love and loathe are back, only this time on the big screen.

Hugh Bonneville, who stars in the film, tells ABC Audio that a return to Downton was a return to normalcy and that filming it last year during a renewed COVID-19 lockdown made him appreciate this world, and his job, in a new way.

“I never took the show for granted anyway, but I really did look at it afresh,” he shares. “I felt deep gratitude every day we went into work that we were working on something that was important to ourselves, but also important to so many people around the world and that we knew would bring them pleasure when we finally got it out there.”

Elizabeth McGovern, who also stars in the movie, is excited for people to watch it in a theater, even though she knows it’s been tough for a lot of people to get back out into the world.

“I kind of have to force myself in a way, but I think it’s important to do because I think we need to get life back,” she explains. “I think that the isolation is creating more problems than it’s solving. And it’s a human need to experience things in groups and talk about it.”

“And this business of all of us sitting at home watching screens really has got to stop for that kind of general mental health,” McGovern adds. “So even if you don’t want to, buy a ticket, go, guys, go. And it will feel good. It will.”