Watch ‘Downton Abbey’s’ Dan Stevens Play Dickens in ‘The Man Who Invented Christmas”
Dan Stevens created quite an uproar when he unceremoniously quit his role as everyone’s dream boyfriend Matthew Crawley on Downton Abbey. His decision to leave the show – which was the height of its international fame – surprised most people, since it and he were so successful at that moment in time.
But, Stevens apparently wanted to try other things. And so we all publically mourned Matthew and privately wondered whether the actor was making the biggest mistake of his life. Joke’s on us though, because Stevens is, at present, probably the biggest star to emerge from the world of Downton. (Not counting someone like, say, Maggie Smith, who certainly never needed something as a simple as a television show to be a global icon.)
Since leaving Highclere Castle in his proverbial rear view, Stevens has appeared in a wide variety of projects, ranging from indie thrillers (The Guest) to period drams (Summer in February), to children’s fare (Night at the Museum 3) to a stint on Broadway a few years ago (starring opposite Jessica Chastain in The Heiress). Most notably – and most recently – he played the titular Beast in Disney’s mega-successful live action remake of their classic animated tale Beauty and the Beast, and is currently starring as David Haller in FX’s weird and wonderful X-Men drama Legion. He’s honestly done a little bit of everything, and his success is bound to make anyone who loved him back when he was only Lady Mary’s boyfriend smile.
