Blockbusters can come from any genre, any source material or any star known in pop culture. While the 2024 movie schedule has been blown away by the box office success of Twisters, previous years have seen the two cinematic entries in the Downton Abbey saga raking in a pretty pound for the beloved series. Believe it or not, both of those pop culture endeavors have a huge connection, which gave the cast of Downton Abbey 3 an opportunity to take a break from filming and celebrate!
Twisters’ Big Connection To Downton Abbey
This isn’t a spoiler, and nor is it some hidden easter egg that claims Daisy Edgar-Jones’ Kate is somehow related to the Crawleys by way of the Levinsons. Rather, this unique connection comes from actor Harry Haddon-Paton being part of the Twisters cast in the role of lovable English journalist Ben.
Now if you’re a Downton Abbey fan who’s starting to wonder how they could have missed Bertie Pelham, on-screen husband to Laura Carmichael’s Lady Edith, in the midst of all that chaos, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered with the ad below that shows Mr. Haddon-Paton in action:
That’s right, the journalist who gets shaken up a bit by the thrill seeking Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) is also the 7th Marquess of Hexham in creator Julian Fellowes’ fan favorite drama. In all honesty, the glasses and the relaxed wardrobe may have helped confuse even the most studious of fans.
What wasn't confusing was The Crown alum's thoughtful writer character getting to help nurture the budding love story between Tyler and Kate. That scene where Ben's taking photos of Kate in the field is probably part of why audiences have issues with Twisters’ cut kiss scene being excised from the film.
No matter the result, Mr. Haddon-Paton was a welcomed presence in the ecosystem of this high octane action/adventure movie set in the universe of the original Twister. That was enough of a cause for the Downton Abbey 3 cast to press pause on their upcoming 2025 movie, in the name of celebration and cinema!
How The Downton Abbey Cast Celebrated Harry Haddon-Paton’s Role In The Film
As production is underway on the recently confirmed Downton Abbey threequel, you’d probably expect the likes of Hugh Bonneville, Allen Leech and Michelle Dockery to be a busy lot. While that may be true, that didn’t stop them from having what Bonneville labeled as a “Downton Family Outing” to go see a screening of Twisters, complete with Harry Haddon-Paton!
If you think that sounds adorable, you should see the photos, courtesy of Hugh Bonneville’s social media:
Since the early days of the ITV series’ initial run, the cast of Downton Abbey has never been afraid to cut loose and have fun. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine that Haddon-Paton’s co-stars may start to crack jokes about this role throughout the rest of Downton Abbey 3’s shooting schedule. Though the real questions are who will be the first to accidentally call him “Ben” on set, and is there a wager already on that prospect? It certainly wouldn’t be the first Downton Abbey movie bet we’d catch wind of.
Downton Abbey 3 is currently setting the table for its September 12, 2025 theatrical release, but you can watch the complete series at this very moment with a Prime Video subscription. Meanwhile, Twisters is still brewing up a storm at a theater near you, with Ben and the gang ready to entertain!
