Dust off your tiara and slip into your finery because this week we are joined by Downton Abbey’s Lady Mary herself, Michelle Dockery!

As a ‘Downton Abbey’ obsessive (I mean those savage Maggie Smith one-liners give me life), I have wanted to talk to Michelle for the longest time, so I am so excited that we are talking to her this week. We take her journey to the big screen all the way back to the beginning…

After growing up in Romford, Essex Michelle started her career in theatre - understudying 10 roles at one time (!!) - before she got the break of a lifetime, starring in Downton Abbey when she was 27.

Ten years later, after six seasons, four personal Emmy award nominations and one box office smash of a movie, we are heading back to Grantham for the latest movie, Downton Abbey: A New Era. Whilehalf of the family skip off to France, Lady Mary oversees the filming of a silent movie in the family home.

It is also a new era for Michelle who recently starred in Netflix’s Anatomy of a Scandal as bad babe barrister, Kate. The story follows Kate, a QC who represents Olivia (Naomi Scott) a woman whoaccuses her former boss and MP, James (Rupert Friend) of rape. Meanwhile, James’wife, played by Sienna Miller, not only has to watch the unfolding drama in court, but also has to reflect on her own role in proceedings. The plot twists are so juicy - so be warned there are some spoilers in this episode!

Michelle has also starred in ‘Defending Jacob’ opposite Chris Evans as a mother whose teenage son is charged with murder (if you haven’t watched it yet, head to Apple TV+ RN), Guy Ritchie movie, ‘The Gentleman’ and Netflix’s Western TV drama, ‘Godless’ playing Alice, a widowed outcast who takes in a stray outlaw played by Jack O’Connell. Lucky Alice!

Today we talk about Michelle’s incredible journey from living in a house share with her mates to the big screen, the no’s she faced along the way, and what her career has taught her about success and failure.

We of course talk about returning to Downton, how working on Anatomy of a Scandal made Michelle reflect on how sets can be so male dominated, the coaching she did with a real barrister for the Netflix show, and how she felt truly in her own power when she turned 40.

I loved hearing Michelle talk about the start of her career so I hope you find her story just as inspiring as I did. I also hope you continue to listen and find the power to Reign in your own lives. If you love this episode, please get in touch (follow me across social media @joshsmithhosts), I love hearing from you. Love, Josh xxx