Jim Carter- Actor of the Week

Jim Carter is another one of those actors you see everywhere, but you may not instantly recognize him. Since his success as Mr. Carson on Downton Abbey, you may get better at spotting him or his lovely basso voice.

Mr. Carson, the butler of Downton Abbey is one of my favourite characters. His affection for the headstrong Lady Mary and his great set downs of the uppity Thomas (the nine fingered footman) make him always fun to watch. Jim Carter seems to have had great fun playing Mr. Carson as is evidenced by this video spoof of A Very Carson Christmas.

Jim Carter as Ralph Bashford in Shakespeare in Love

The first time Jim Carter really registered in my consciousness as a notable character was in Shakespeare in Love, where he played Ralph Bashford, a middle aged actor playing the female character of Juliet's Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, the play within the film. Actually, I find it funny that Jim Carter's wife actress Imelda Staunton played Viola De Lesseps' Nurse. Someone had fun with the casting there!

Imelda Staunton in Shakespeare in Love

Here is the photo of Jim Carter's wife Imelda Staunton as the Nurse in Shakespeare in Love to jog your memory. She is so great in this, as is her husband as the character of "Nurse".

Jim Carter as Mr. Brehgert in The Way We Live Now

I love Jim's character of Mr. Brehgert in The Way We Live Now. He is so sweet as the older Jewish character Mr. Brehgert who falls in love with Georgiana Longestaffe (played by the wonderful Anne-Marie Duff) who only sees him as an escape from spinsterhood and ends up breaking his heart. What a twit she was!

Jim Carter in Ella Enchanted

Almost unrecognizable as the ogre Nish in Ella Enchanted, this is proof that he gets a lot of varied roles!

Jim Carter as Captain Brown in Cranford

Now this is more like how we are used to seeing Jim Carter. In Victorian dress as Captain Brown in Cranford, he is both a capable railway planner and a likeable father. Perfect for the role!

Jim Carter with wife Imelda Staunton and daughter Bessie

Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton have a daughter together, Bessie Carter who joined the family business, having had a small part in Cranford as Margaret Gidford. I am now going to have to watch Cranford again just to spot her. Actually, what a great reason to watch Cranford again.

I had to leave an awful lot of his career out of this post, so feel free to comment below with your fave Jim Carter films or television roles. I couldn't find a photo of him as Charles Fox in The Madness of King George, but that is another film I should watch again. And he has a great bit part as a bartender in My Week With Marilyn.

Hugh Dancy- Actor of the Week

Hugh Dancy

Hugh Dancy is a talented young actor who has been in quite a few wonderful films, usually playing the romantic lead. Oxford educated (English Literature of course), fluent in French, a model for Burberry...holy crap is Claire Danes ever a lucky lady!

Hugh Dancy as Daniel Deronda with Romola Garai and Hugh Bonneville

As the title character in Daniel Deronda, Hugh Dancy shone as the magnificently moral and upstanding young hero.

Sir Hugo Mallinger: So you don't want to be an English gentleman to the backbone after all.
Daniel Deronda: Yes, of course I want to be an English gentleman sir, but I want to understand other points of view.

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Gwendolen Harleth: He seems not like young men in general.

Hugh Dancy as Grigg in The Jane Austen Book Club

Grigg from The Jane Austen Book Club is so much one of my favourite film characters that I dedicated a blog entry to him a while back. Adorable so often comes to mind when describing Hugh Dancy but never more appropriately than when he is Grigg. Grigg is so perfect that even Jane Austen couldn't conceive of such a man. But we can dream, can't we? I must dig out my DVD of The Jane Austen Book Club for a Grigg fix!!

Grigg Harris: What about me? Am I your friend? Or am I just some widget to help you make Sylvia feel better about herself? Why did you invite me to be part of your book club? What went through your mind the first time you saw me? "There's a man who is dying to read every book Jane Austen ever wrote." Is that what you thought?
Jocelyn: No.
Grigg Harris: But I thought, "What a beautiful woman. I hope she looks over at me." I thought if I read your favorite books that you would read mine. But, no, no, no, no... You just want to be obeyed. That's why you have dogs. 

Hugh Dancy with Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons in Elizabeth I

And who could blame Helen Mirren as Elizabeth I for being a bit of a cougar when going after Hugh Dancy as the Earl of Essex. Yum yum! This is another DVD I have to dig out of my collection.

Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex: How can I read when you look at me like that?
Queen Elizabeth I: How do I look at you?
Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex: As if you are deciding whether to eat me.

Anne Hathaway and Hugh Dancy in Ella Enchanted

In Ella Enchanted, Hugh plays Prince Charmant naturally! How many girls have now grown up with Hugh Dancy in their head as the perfect Prince Charming?  Personally, I can't think of a better ideal man.



Char: You're the first maiden who hasn't swooned at the sight of me.
Ella: Then maybe I've done you some good. 

Maggie Gyllenhaal and Hugh Dancy in Hysteria

OK, you might be aware that Hugh has been on my mind because I watched Hysteria this past weekend, or as I affectionately call it "The Vibrator Movie".  Loved it!!!

Charlotte Dalrymple: It must be difficult pleasuring half the women in the city.
Mortimer Granville: Pleasure has nothing to do with it, I can assure you.
Charlotte Dalrymple: I suppose that depends on whether you are over the table or on it!

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I have a feeling that a few of my readers are Hugh Dancy fanciers, am I right? I look forward to hearing what your fave Hugh Dancy films are!