'Downton Abbey' adds first black actor
Dan Stevens stars as Matthew Crawley and Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary in "Downton Abbey," on PBS. Credit: Handout
"Downton Abbey" -- quite possibly the most monochromatic hit on all of television -- is finally adding some diverstiy to the cast: A black actor will be added for the fourth season. Yes, a first.
He is Gary Carr, 26, and a fairly new face even to British audiences. He has a pair of supporting roles on "Bluestone 42" -- a "M*A*S*H*-like dramedy about British troops in Afghanistan - and "Death in Paradise," which is bit like "Monk," and has had some airplay in the U.S. on public TV. (It's about a detective who goes to a tropic island to solve crimes...) "Downton" has yet to announce the addition of Carr, but the British press has been reporting. Julian Fellowes, show creator, has said he's wanted to "expand" the diversity of the cast; per reports, Carr will play a jazz player named Jack Ross. No other details...yet.
I found this recent interview -- you can learn a bit more about him from this...He's speaking about "Paradise:"
