Another room has become available in Downton Abbey.
On the heels of the back-to-back departures of Jessica Brown Findlay (Sybil) and Dan Stevens (Matthew), now word comes that Siobhan Finneran — who has played wretched maid Sarah O’Brien since the show’s launch — will not be back for the PBS smash’s upcoming fourth season.
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“I’m not doing any more,” the actress told UK’s Mirror. “O’Brien is a thoroughly despicable human being — that was great to play.”
According to sources, O’Brien’s departure will take place off screen during the six-month time jump between seasons. That’s in stark contrast to the dramatic on-screen swan songs given to Sybil and Matthew. As Julian Fellowes recently told the New York Times, “When an actor playing a servant wants to leave, there isn’t really a problem — [that character gets] another job.”
Thoughts? How big a blow to the show is this? Are you said O’Brien isn’t being given a proper farewell? Hit the comments!
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