Allen Leech & Joanne Froggatt Talk Idea for ‘Downton Abbey’ Prequel (Exclusive)

Allen Leech and Joanne Froggatt sat down with “Extra’s” Terri Seymour to talk saying goodbye in “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”

Joanne confessed she sobbed the first time she saw the movie.

“The first time I saw the movie. I sobbed for 10 minutes. I did expect to be a little bit emotional, but I didn’t expect to be as emotional as I was. They were happy tears.”

Allen added, “It’s a movie really about letting go and I wondered did
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Julian [Fellowes] write that for us as actors as well. At the end of it, you do feel that there is that sense of that it’s okay to let go and it’s okay to embrace change.”

And Allen might not be ready to let go — he’s pushing Fellowes for a “Downton” prequel.

“I think it would be a great idea that you start with the Dowager Countess Maggie Smith, who played her so beautifully. I think it’d be a really interesting story to go back in time and pick up say at her presentation ball when she’s 18.”

What does Julian think? Leech joked, “He said ‘hmmm,’ so I’m pretty sure we’re greenlit, I’m going to produce and direct most of it.”

Plus, Joanne recalled her craziest fan encounter ever with a naked lady in the gym changing room!

“I had a naked fan talk to me about the show… I was in the gym one day and in the changing rooms and there was a very naked lady behind me with her leg up and she went, ‘Oh, you’re Anna.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, yep, yeah.’”

She laughed, saying she told the woman, “You’ve seen a lot of me. I’ve today seen a lot of you, too.”