Her latest project is her biggest yet – Disney’s live action version of Cinderella, directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Cate Blanchett and McShera’s Downton co-star Lily James.

McShera plays ugly sister Drizella.

“Cate Blanchett is my mum which is hilarious, she was so much fun to work with. Me and Holliday Grainger (who also stars in the film) watched Blue Jasmine the day before we met her so we were so in awe of her. She was so nice and generous and funny, we had the best time with her.”

At least McShera will get to give the orders for a change – her Downton co-star, Lilly James, who plays cousin Rose in the drama, takes the lead in Cinderella.

While the actress acknowledges it was nice to have the roles reversed for once, she jokes: “Lily’s definitely no Daisy – she looks beautiful in rags, it’s really irritating!”

(Source)

Nice-as-pie Lily James, who plays Lady Rose in Downton Abbey, talks through her stunning cover shoot for Tatler January 2014. She wore Dior, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino and Simone Rocha, and was photographed by Marc Hom and styled by Deep Kailey.

Holliday Grainger is Lily’s co-star in ‘Cinderella’, she plays one of the stepsisters Anastasia.

When you do something like Cinderella, do you think about the fact that you’re retelling the story of Cinderella, or can you focus on it as just another story that you’re telling?
GRAINGER: Whenever I walk out of my trailer and see Lily [James] in her costume, I think, “My god, I’m shooting Cinderella!” When she’s in her ball gown, she looks like the fairy tale version of Cinderella that you remember dreaming about, as a kid. The first time I saw her in her ball grown, I felt a bit starstruck. It’s just Lily. She’s one of my contemporaries. We’ve known each other from before. But when she’s in the Cinderella dress, she’s just perfect. That’s when you go, “Oh, my gosh, we’re actually making a movie! We’re making a fairy tale come to life!”

(Source)

Downton Abbey meets Buckingham Palace in this year’s Christmas special of the ITV period drama, which features a scandal that threatens to engulf the monarchy.

Details of the episode reveal today that Lady Rose, played by Lily James, will be presented at the Palace as part of her “coming out”, while Robert, played by Hugh Bonneville, will go to great lengths to protect the Royal family.
The two-hour installment, which rejoins the family six months on from the end of series four, will be shown on ITV1 on Christmas Day at 8.30pm.

It goes up against EastEnders, Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special and Michael McIntyre’s Showtime on BBC One.

Last year, Boxing Day viewing figures put EastEnders more than a million views ahead of Downton Abbey in the Christmas Day ratings war but the ITV show ultimately beat the long-running soap opera because more people recorded it to watch later.

(Source)

More stills from the Christmas Special of ‘Downton Abbey’ have been added to the gallery!

GALLERY LINKS
Television Productions > Downton Abbey (2012-2013) > Season 4 > Episode Stills > Episode #4.9 – Christmas Special

I’ve added 3 high quality stills of Lily in the Christmas Special episode of ‘Downton Abbey’.

GALLERY LINKS
Television Productions > Downton Abbey (2012-2013) > Season 4 > Episode Stills > Episode #4.9 – Christmas Special