What’s It Like To Return To Downton Abbey? with Laura Carmichael and Allen Leech

What’s It Like To Return To Downton Abbey? with Laura Carmichael and Allen Leech

Author: Sony Music Entertainment / Jonathan Van Ness May 25, 2022 Duration: 56:21
*A note from the Getting Curious team: We delivered this episode just as news broke about the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Elementary schools are supposed to be spaces for learning, growth, and creativity. No child or adult should ever have to worry about gun violence when they step into a classroom. You can follow our @CuriouswithJVN social media pages for resources and developments.* Jonathan has spent a decade preparing for this week’s episode: they’ve pored over countless hours of footage, consulted with historians, even married a Brit. Today, that research pays off, as Jonathan interviews Allen Leech and Laura Carmichael aka Tom Branson and Lady Edith of Downton FUCKING Abbey. Listen in as they discuss behind-the-scenes stories, the work that goes into creating a historical drama, and the new film Downton Abbey: A New Era. A note to Downton fans! This episode contains spoilers, notably around 21 minutes, 32 minutes, and 51 minutes in. Downton Abbey: A New Era is playing in theaters now. You can follow the latest on Twitter @DowntonAbbey, Instagram @downtonabbey_official, and Facebook @DowntonAbbey. A native of south Dublin, award winning actor Allen Leech is best known for his role in Downton Abbey, where he plays Tom Branson, chauffeur turned estate manager. You can follow Allen on Twitter @Allenleech and on Instagram @therealleech. Laura Carmichael plays Lady Edith in Downtown Abbey and will also play the lead role in the second season of thriller series The Secret She Keeps later this year. You can follow Laura on Twitter @carmichelle and Instagram @larrycarmichael. Join the conversation, and find out what former guests are up to, by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN.  Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Love listening to Getting Curious? Now, you can also watch Getting Curious—on Netflix! Head to netflix.com/gettingcurious to dive in. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our associate producer is Zahra Crim. Our editor is Andrew Carson.   Our socials are run and curated by Middle Seat Digital.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.   Getting Curious merch is available on PodSwag.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You know that feeling when you’re just trying to figure it all out, and you need a guide who’s equal parts insightful and hilarious? That’s the space where Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness lives. Hosted by the beloved Jonathan Van Ness of Queer Eye, this podcast turns genuine curiosity into a powerful engine for personal growth. Each episode feels like a vibrant conversation with a deeply empathetic friend who isn’t afraid to ask the big, awkward, or wonderfully silly questions. Jonathan sits down with a diverse array of experts, authors, and thinkers, weaving together discussions that are as enlightening as they are unexpectedly funny. The result is a unique blend of education, comedy, and culture that tackles everything from societal issues to the intimate details of self-improvement. You’ll find yourself laughing one moment and having a profound revelation the next, all while feeling less alone in the challenges of modern life. This isn’t about quick fixes; it’s about the ongoing, messy, and beautiful process of understanding ourselves and the world. Produced in partnership with Sony Music Entertainment, the podcast delivers consistently engaging audio experiences that are both a lifeline and a joy. Tune in for a weekly dose of warmth, wit, and the kind of conversations that leave you feeling genuinely better equipped to navigate your own path.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
Podcast Episodes
Are Mushrooms Truly Magic? with Dr. Patty Kaishian [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:16
Jonathan long saw mushrooms as an ingredient to avoid on a menu—until they learned that mushrooms, and fungi more generally, have a lot to do with queerness. In this week’s “Pride In Nature” episode, Dr. Patty Kaishian j…
How Queer Is The Animal Kingdom? with Eliot Schrefer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:38
Were there same-sex couples on Noah’s Ark? Was Glee right that dolphins are just gay sharks? What’s a bonobo handshake?! Eliot Schrefer and Jonathan kick off our “Pride In Nature” series, running through June, with a con…
How F$^*#d Up Is Fatphobia? with Professor Sabrina Strings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:06
What do Enlightenment-era paintings, 19th-century American fashion magazines, and Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” have in common? They’re all strong examples of what fatphobia has to do with race, class, and gender discr…
What’s The Power Of Labor Organizing? with Kim Kelly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:39
This fall, pro-union sentiment in the US rose to 68 percent—the highest it’s been since 1965. We’re living through a major moment for labor organizing, and we have so many questions! How did we get here? Who got us here?…
Does Curiosity Grow On Trees? with Professor Beronda Montgomery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:33
*A note from Jonathan and the Getting Curious team: We are covering the latest SCOTUS developments on Instagram and Twitter @CuriouswithJVN. Head there for insights from past guests, resources, and relevant episodes from…
Who Were History’s “Female Husbands”? with Professor Jen Manion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:55
What was it like to trans gender if you were living in 18th or 19th century England or America? This week, Professor Jen Manion joins Jonathan to explore the world of “female husbands,” people who were raised as girls bu…
How Did You Become A Superstar? with Molly Shannon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:36
Sometimes, when we get real excited about an episode, we stick our hands under our armpits and SNIFF ’EM! And this week, we’re real excited, because we have none other than THE superstar Molly Shannon on the show. Listen…
What’s A Day In The Life Of A Coral Reef? with Dr. Juli Berwald [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:19
Coral are teeny tiny animals just two layers thick, and yet they create the biggest structures made by any biological creatures on the planet—like, the size of Italy big. Literally HOW! This week, Dr. Juli Berwald and Jo…