Chadwell Heath girl in spotlight with Dame Maggie Smith

29 July 2010

A RISING young actress with her roots firmly in Chadwell Heath is set to hit our screens this autumn alongside the great Dame Maggie Smith.

Michelle Dockery, who grew up in St Chad's Gardens, has a leading role in a much anticipated ITV costume drama called Downton Abbey.

The seven-part series, penned by Oscar winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park), is set in 1912 in a grand country house and follows the lives of the wealthy Crawley family and the servants who work for them.

Dame Maggie stars as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham, and Michelle plays her feisty eldest grand-daughter, Mary.

The 28-year-old, who recently finished filming the production, says working with one of Britain's most famous and respected actresses was "incredible".

"It was such a privilege to act alongside her," she says. "Just watching her perform was amazing.

"She also has a wicked sense of humour and often had us all in stitches."

Michelle might not be a household name yet, but the former Chadwell Heath School pupil has an impressive CV that boasts a string of TV and stage appearances in quality dramas. It includes a starring role in last year's BBC production of The Turn of the Screw and a part opposite Judi Dench in the popular period drama Cranford.

Probably her most critically lauded role to date, however, is Eliza Doolittle in the George Bernard Shaw play Pygmalion (the basis for My Fair Lady), which ran at London's Old Vic theatre in 2008.

She describes Eliza as "the best role I've had." "It's such a wonderful part because you're playing two completely different characters. I loved being in that production - it was very special time for me," she says.

Michelle got the acting bug aged just five when her parents sent her to the Finch Stage School, then based at the bottom of her street in St Chad's Church Hall.

"My mum and dad didn't have any involvement in the arts themselves but thought the school would build my confidence.

"It was such a fantastic place and the teachers were brilliant and very inspirational. I owe a lot to that school."

She remained there for more than ten years, before progressing to the National Youth Theatre - often working extra jobs to pay her way, including a stint at the Brothers' Fish Bar in Chadwell Heath.

After a three-year degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Michelle joined the resident company at the prestigious National Theatre, on London's South Bank.

"I spent 18 months there, doing what was very much like an apprenticeship. I started as an understudy and worked my way up.

"It was a great place to learn and I got to act with some amazing people, like Michael Gambon, Michael Sheen and Lesley Manville."

Michelle's next big project sees her take on Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Sheffield Crucible theatre, which premieres in September.

After this she's not sure. "I did my first piece of film work recently (she has a part in Joe Wright's up-coming teen assassin movie Hanna), which was great fun. So I'd love to do more of that.

"But as long as I can carry on working as an actress I'm happy. I feel very lucky to be doing this job."

Downton Abbey screens in September on ITV.