BAZ BAMIGBOYE: Who is Lady Mary's new pretty boy?

Michelle Dockery’s Lady Mary Crawley could be under siege from suitors in the fourth series of Downton Abbey, which starts filming next week.
Casting directors have auditioned scores of actors who had to tick the following boxes: ‘Posh and pretty.’
Plus, they should be aged around 35, and dashing enough to catch Lady Mary’s eye after her husband Matthew Crawley, played by Dan Stevens, was killed off at Christmas in a car crash, leaving his widow with an infant son.
Candidates have trooped in and out of casting sessions, but none, so far, has been suitable.
‘Some were too dark, some too blond, some too bland — though a couple have been put on a shortlist that the producers and creative people will discuss,’ a source on the production told me.
‘The main criteria for him is that he should be posh — and pretty.’
Gareth Neame, the executive producer for NBC-Universal International, told me Lady Mary’s storyline will dominate series four.
‘Mary’s a catch, and her story will be the spine of the next series,’ he said.
Downton creator Julian Fellowes told me Lady Mary will have no problems attracting a man.
‘She’s very beautiful, but she still has an absolute sense of control, power and brain work,’ he said, adding that she inherited the strength of her grandmother, the dowager duchess, played by Maggie Smith.
But will the chap who seduces Mary be the right one? I’m told it will all depend on who gets cast. If he ‘gels’, then he’ll continue; but if he doesn’t, the plot will introduce other men — perhaps even an American beau.
The ITV drama’s core cast members are signed up for two more series, but as we saw in the last one, anything could happen.
The Americans love Downton, and it beat mega-shows such as Homeland for the best ensemble award from the Screen Actors Guild — a huge win.

'Posh and pretty': Casting directors have been tasked with finding a new suitor for Lady Mary after the loss of her husband Matthew in the last series

What a costume drama!

Jacqueline Durran has measured Keira Knightley in inches — and in years.
She’s the costume designer who swathed the actress in fabrics for Pride And Prejudice and Atonement, and most recently clad her in fabulous gowns and fur-lined coats and cloaks for Joe Wright’s gorgeous screen version of Anna Karenina.
Those Anna Karenina costumes have been nominated for Oscar and Bafta awards.

Nominated: Costume designer Jacqueline Durran's work for Anna Karenina, seen right, has been nominated for an Academy Award

‘Keira’s a great collaborator and very serious about her work, which is significant, because she’s a movie star and sometimes movie stars aren’t that conscientious about their work . . . because they’re stars!’ Durran noted.
‘The decisions she makes about her costumes are based on the character, not vanity,’ she added.
Director Wright contacted Durran (she’s worked on all of his films) and gave her one word: silhouette, to guide her when she imagined, and then created the film’s costumes.
Though the story is set in 1870, Wright wanted Durran to give Keira’s costumes a contemporary twist by putting a Fifties couture silhouette on her gowns.

Keira in couture: Katherine Durran worked with Keira Knightley on Anna Karenina and praised her acting and presence on set

Durran adores working with the actress — and the feeling is mutual.

 

   

Keira calls her a genius. ‘She creates the most beautiful costumes from a character point of view, which makes the character come alive before you even shoot a single frame,’ she said.

Big coup for the Society of London Theatres in getting ITV to show the Olivier Awards live from the Royal Opera House on April 28.

SOLT boss Julian Bird said Sheridan Smith will host the show for ITV, while Julia McKenzie does the voiceovers.

Radio 2 will broadcast the ceremony. And nominations will be announced on March 26, live on R2, with the cast of Matilda performing.

Heather Headley, star of Adelphi Theatre hit The Bodyguard, who will sing two Stephen Sondheim numbers from Merrily We Roll Along at The Night Of 1,000 Stars gala at the Royal Albert Hall on May 5, to celebrate the work of producer and director Hal Prince.
He’s a legendary figure in the theatre on both sides of the Atlantic, having directed Evita and Phantom Of The Opera, and produced West Side Story and Fiddler On The Roof.
Denise Van Outen is among the many other performers. Alan Titchmarsh is hosting and the  funds raised will go to Gloria Hunniford’s cancer charity, The Caron Keating Foundation.
Robert Sheehan, who was in TV series Misfits and Love Hate, and appears in the video for new single Push It by indie band Duologue. It’s the third track from Duologue’s debut album Song & Dance, which is released on February  18. Sheehan said he wanted to be involved with Duologue after hearing their music.