Michel Gill Talks Working With Downton Abbey's Creator On The Gilded Age - Exclusive
2022 is already off to a superb start for Michel Gill, who is starring in HBO's "The Gilded Age" and Hulu's "The Dropout." The former hit our screens first, and the new period drama from the creator of "Downton Abbey" is nothing short of breathtaking. Understandably, Gill was elated when he got the chance to work with Julian Fellowes and an all-star cast which includes Carrie Coon, Cynthia Nixon, and Christine Baranski.
"It happened late in my life," Gill told Nicki Swift of his impressive career boom. "I was busy in the theater, and I was busy being a dad, and my wife and I, Jayne Atkinson, took turns. So yes, it certainly came later on, and I'm glad of it. I mean, it wasn't always easy, but it's just been a joy for the last few years. It's been great."
In an exclusive interview, Nicki Swift spoke with Michel Gill about "The Gilded Age," and what it was like getting to work with "Downton Abbey" icon Julian Fellowes.
Julian Fellowes is 'delightful'
Working on HBO's "The Gilded Age" was an easy decision for Michel Gill, and getting the chance to work with "Downton Abbey" creator Julian Fellowes was most definitely a highlight. "Oh my God, he's just delightful," Gill told Nicki Swift. "Now because of COVID, he couldn't be on set a whole lot. And he was traveling back and forth to the U.K., and he had to be very careful. Everybody had to be very careful. So unless it was absolutely necessary, if it was necessary, the set was very limited." However, that didn't stop him from being actively involved in the process. "He was always watching on a monitor, always had notes, if he had them," Gill continued. "Whenever he did come to set, he couldn't have been more delightful. Again, it's just like, 'Hello!' What a body of work."
Gill noted it was the writing on "The Gilded Age" that made his job as an actor a joy to do. "But when you're given a script like this by a guy who knows what he's doing, and who knows character, and who knows story, these lines just flowed into me," Gill revealed, comparing it to his experiences on "Mr. Robot" and "House of Cards." Gill concluded, "I've been very, very lucky lately, not to struggle learning lines. And that's just an indication of how brilliant the writing is."
Watch Michel Gill in "The Gilded Age" on HBO and HBO Max every Monday. "The Dropout" is set to hit Hulu on March 3, 2022.