Fans still want to know why Dan Stevens left the cast of “Downton Abbey.” The 38-year-old played Matthew Crawley in the 2010 British historical drama. After his departure in 2012, the writers killed the character in a dramatic accident.
Years after he left, Stevens revealed that he was still apologizing for leaving the show. Fans were especially distraught about how his character was killed off, a creative idea reportedly out of the actor’s hands.
The “I’m Your Man” actor recently admitted why he left the cast of the British series. Stevens revealed that he wanted more variety in his acting roles, and continuing on the show would only serve to “typecast” him for his future movie roles.”
Dan Stevens Had ‘Creative Itches Left Unscratched’
Stevens left “Downton Abbey” over ten years ago, and fans still have questions. The actor’s character, Matthew, was killed off in the series after the 38-year-old left. The aristocrat was involved in a fatal accident.
Via the Guardian, Stevens revealed why he left “Downton Abbey.” According to the actor, he left because he had “creative itches left unscratched.” Despite how much he loved his role in the series, the 38-year-old said “his appetite to explore further was too great.” His three year deal which he had initially signed up for was up and he needed to step away from the beloved show.
Julian Fellowes Wanted Dan Stevens To Come Back
Stevens’ character, Matthew, was married to Lady Mary Crawley, played by Michelle Dockery, and died on his way to see his newborn son. The show’s creator, Julian Fellowes, revealed that he didn’t intend for the character to be written off that way.
Fellowes revealed that he initially wanted Stevens to join the cast for an episode to give his character a proper send-off, but the actor apparently wouldn’t budge. In a 2013 interview with Express, he said, “Dan would not stay — he was determined to go. I tried to persuade him to come back for just one episode of the next series so we could give Matthew and Mary a happy ending, but he wanted to go off to America.”
Despite his rather dramatic death, fans of the show still hoped for Stevens’s return in the following “Downton Abbey” film. The movie is slated for release this year. On hearing the hopes of the show’s fans, the 38-year-old revealed that he didn’t plan on rejoining the cast.
In a January interview with Digital Spy, he said, “I left that show eight years ago now. Film executives — people who really should know better — say, ‘Are you in the movie?’ I’m like, ‘Did you watch the show? Do you know how that ended?”
Stevens Said He Had To Apologize For 2012 Exit
In a 2017 interview, Stevens revealed that he was still making rounds apologizing to people because of his exit from “Downton Abbey.” Fans of the show were devastated when Matthew died, some even going as far as saying it ruined their Christmas.
According to The Mirror, Stevens said, “I’m still apologizing to people now. The way Matthew went was out of my hands — but it was rather shocking. There were some very upset people, and I’ve had to apologize to a lot of people over the past four years.”
The actor revealed that he has appeared in several movies since and hoped people would understand why he left by now. “I’ve done a lot since then, though — so hopefully, people are seeing what I have been up to and are beginning to understand why I wanted to move on,” Stevens continued.
Stevens Starred In Several Movies After ‘Downton Abbey’
Since Stevens left the cast of “Downton Abbey,” the actor has appeared in several films and performed a wide range of roles. He starred in the sci-fi drama series “Legion” from 2017 to 2019. He was in more comedic movies like “Night at the Museum 3.”
Stevens’ other projects include “Lucy in the Sky,” “Marshall, “The Call of the Wild,” and several others. The 38-year-old is also set to replace Arnie Hammer in “Gaslit.” His most recent movie is a German-language film titled “I’m Your Man,” which premiered in March at the Berlin Film Festival.
Talking about his time on “Downton Abbey,” Stevens said, “I’m incredibly grateful for everything that that role and that show gave me. And also, you know, learning to put my faith in fortune, I guess, and following instinct, and following the advice of good people around me.”
View this post on Instagram
