The ensemble cast is led by high-profile actors and introduced many breakout stars: Full cast & crew - Downton Abbey - IMDb
Because Lord Grantham (Robert Crawley) has only three daughters and the estate is under a strict "entail," the title and fortune cannot pass to them. The new heir is revealed to be Matthew Crawley , a distant cousin and "middle-class" solicitor from Manchester—a choice that shocks the family, especially the Dowager Countess, Violet. The ensemble cast is led by high-profile actors
Below stairs, the household is stirred by the arrival of John Bates , the Earl's new valet and former Boer War comrade. Bates walks with a limp due to a war injury, leading several staff members—most notably the footman Thomas Barrow and lady's maid Sarah O'Brien—to scheme against him to protect their own advancement. Key Cast & Characters Bates walks with a limp due to a