Maggi Smith is one of the reasons that millions of people tune in to watch Downton Abbey, but there’s one person she just can’t get to watch the Masterpiece series: Maggie Smith.
The 78-year-old actress, who plays the Dowager Countess of Grantham, said that she’s never actually sat down to watch Downton Abbey. Smith said that she doesn’t want to watch it because she doesn’t want to see all of the moments that she could have done better.
When asked if Smith was proud of her work on the show, the actress said :
“Well, yes, of course I am … I was just pausing because I haven’t actually seen it. I don’t sit down and watch it … I’ve never watched it.”
Smith said that she might watch it after the show wraps up, but for now she’s happy playing her part.
“I will look at it when it’s all over, maybe, because it’s frustrating – I always see things that I would like to do differently, and think ‘why in the name of God did I do that?’.”
Smith will appear on 60 Minutes this Sunday to talk about the hit show’s return later this month. Here’s a clip from her interview.