Laura Carmichael arrived 20 minutes late, apologetic but otherwise unruffled by the flood of black SUVs transporting talent for the Toronto Film Festival and clogging the streets, the sticky heat, or the noisy clatter of lunch patrons in the downtown eatery where we meet.
The actress was in full glamour mode, dolled up for a photo shoot taking place after our interview. 鈥淕lamourous鈥� is not a word generally associated with Carmichael's roles: her Lady Edith in Downton Abbey was the almost-spinster sister of the Crawley family, the mousey-brown frock among the confident reds of Lady Mary or the party-girl pinks of cousin Rose.
It鈥檚 thick-lensed glasses and sensible shoes again for her latest film, Amma Asante鈥檚 A United Kingdom.聽
鈥淵es, ever the glamourous parts,鈥� Carmichael laughed at her own dowdy type-casting. 鈥淏ut I found Muriel quite adorable, with her coke-bottle glasses.鈥�
Muriel is the catalyst that sparks the real-life romance between white Englishwoman Ruth (Rosamund Pike) and Prince Seretse Khama of Botswana (David Oyelowo), a union which caused both private scandal and public political turmoil for U.K.-South African relations after the Second World War.聽
A dutiful volunteer with the London Missionary Society, Muriel drags sister Ruth along with her one evening to one of the society-sponsored dances for African university students studying at Oxford. Ruth makes an unexpected connection with Seretse, a man who later confesses that he鈥檚 actually heir to the king, and will one day be called back to govern his homeland.
鈥淢uriel absolutely adores Seretse but can see how difficult this is going to be for her sister. She became one of their biggest supporters throughout her life鈥� She came to it from this churchy point of view but then found friendship and had this long-lasting impact on combating the racism in England at the time.鈥�
Carmichael wasn鈥檛 familiar with the story prior to receiving the script. 鈥淚 was amazed by it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very classic love story in amongst this whole history that I certainly didn鈥檛 know.鈥� She jumped at the chance to work with Amma Asante, the director behind another real-life drama, 2013鈥檚 Belle. 鈥淎mma is a brilliant director, she鈥檚 magnificent, certainly someone I think is going to keep delighting us all with her stories. It was a no-brainer in that way.鈥�
Did the actress have any qualms about starring in yet another period piece?
鈥淚鈥檓 slowly clawing my way up to modern day, 20 years at a time,鈥� she joked. You can鈥檛 turn down a film based on its time period, Carmichael says, insisting that if you like the story and the script and you can see how wonderful it can be, 鈥渢hat鈥檚 enough.鈥�
鈥淲hen it feels like a film is really focusing on things that are important 鈥� love being the most powerful force that we have 鈥� that鈥檚 something that I want to get behind. Suddenly any fear of repeating myself seems unimportant.鈥�
When we met, Donald Trump had not yet been elected president of the U.S., and Brexiteer Nigel Farage was stumping for him. We chatted about how it seemed as though a film that celebrates shared similarities was more vital than ever. 鈥淚t鈥檚 absolutely a frightening time, and yeah, I think a film that celebrates people who fought for their love 鈥� against prejudice, against what seemed like stronger forces 鈥� is absolutely what we need.鈥�
The film鈥檚 release coincides with the 50th anniversary of Botswana, but Carmichael won鈥檛 be going, nor did she get to shoot any of her scenes there. 鈥淚 was in rainy London for the grey scenes,鈥� she moped.
Carmichael trained at Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol and found her first home starring in stage productions. She recently returned to the stage for The Maids, a process that was 鈥渒ind of terrifying, but similarly very rewarding.鈥�
She enjoys juggling stage work and film roles. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 really nice to keep in the mix. It鈥檚 like a healthy exercise regime 鈥� you don鈥檛 want to be doing all weights, you鈥檝e got to do some other stuff as well. I love it all. Theatre is by far the most exhaustive medium, but it is so satisfying.鈥�
Carmichael starred alongside Gary Oldham in 2011鈥檚 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy before playing Lady Edith Crawley on the award-winning Downton Abbey.
So there is life after Lady Edith?
鈥淥h, bless her! I will always feel very fond of Edith鈥� it will always be a part of where things started for me, and I鈥檓 really grateful for it,鈥� said Carmichael, taking a long pause. 鈥淲ho knows what will happen in the future.鈥澛�
A United Kingdom is at Fifth Avenue.
