Stevens unemotional about ‘Downton’ exit
“Downton Abbey” fans were devastated when Matthew Crawley made his dramatic exit from the series at the end of the show’s third season. The actor who played him, however, is less emotional about the plot point.
“It’s nice that people care, I suppose, about the show, but yeah, you know … I had to do what I had to do,” Dan Stevens said Thursday while attending a New York reception to launch a two-day pop-up showcase to promote British tourism.
He does, however, recognize the phenomenon the show has become, airing in countries across the globe.
“It’s a show that means a lot to a lot of people, and, you know, we’ve obviously gone into a lot of homes on a Sunday night, so people feel very close to the show, which is great,” Stevens said.
Stevens left the show to pursue other opportunities, which have opened up for him. He recently starred in “The Heiress” on Broadway with Jessica Chastain and shot a role in an upcoming film about the founder of WikiLeaks with fellow British actor Benedict Cumberbatch.
Stevens is now filming a movie in Brooklyn with Liam Neeson called “A Walk Among the Tombstones.” That part has required the 30-year-old to trim down a bit and darken his hair.
Scorsese wants to save Bowery’s grit
Famed director Martin Scorsese wants New York’s mean streets to keep some of their grittiness. The “Gangs of New York” director has joined an effort to curb redevelopment of the Bowery. That’s the former skid row near where Scorsese grew up.
Scorsese wrote to New York City Planning Commission Chairwoman Amanda Burden last week, praising the neighborhood’s grittiness, ambience and vivid atmosphere. Scorsese is backing a plan that would limit the height of new development on the east side of the Bowery to eight stories. The plan also calls for preservation of several historic buildings.
Brown released with ankle jewelry
Bobby Brown has been released from jail after serving less than a day of his 55-day jail sentence for a driving under the influence conviction.
A sheriff’s spokesman said the 44-year-old R&B singer was released after eight hours and outfitted with an electronic ankle monitor Thursday because of jail overcrowding and good behavior.
Brown pleaded no contest to DUI and driving on a suspended license in February and turned himself in Wednesday. He will be required to serve four years on informal probation and complete an 18-month alcohol treatment program.
The birthday bunch
Composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim is 83. Evangelist broadcaster Pat Robertson is 83. Actor William Shatner is 82. Actor M. Emmet Walsh is 78. Singer-guitarist George Benson is 70. CNN newscaster Wolf Blitzer is 65. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is 65. Actor Matthew Modine is 54. Actress Reese Witherspoon is 37.