DOSSIER: ALLEN LEECH - DOWNTON ABBEY

 ALLEN LEECH

“Maggie Smith is an amazing woman, and not as serious in real life.”

BORN: May 18^th, 1981, Killiney, County Dublin, Ireland

HEIGHT: 5' 9”

Allen was born in Ireland to David Leech, CEO of a computer system company and Kay Leech. He is the third of four children and attended St. Michael's College.

Allen became interested in acting at age 11 when he was given a part as the Cowardly Lion in a school production of The Wizard of Oz. On the last night of the production, he was told by Peter McDonald that acting is a profession and so he decided to become one himself.

Acting, specifically drama, became a focal point of Allen's teenage years and his family supported him through his school years. In 1998, he obtained a small role in a production of A Streetcar Named Desire at the Gate Theatre. Allen earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master's Degree in Drama and Theatre Studies from Trinity College Dublin. He later explained it was his “loophole” because his parents insisted that he earn a degree to fall back on if he failed to be a successful actor. While at Trinity College, he had major roles in Cowboys & Angels and Man About Dog.

Allen's breakthrough film performance was in Cowboys and Angels, in which he played Vincent, a gay fashion student, which followed in a film role in 2004 in Man About Dog.

Leech received a Best Actor nomination for his role of Shane Kirwan in Ireland's RTÉ series Love is the Drug from Irish Film and Television Awards. He followed that performance with the role of Willy in the TV series, Legend, a story of three Irish families. For that he received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance.

In 2007, Leech appeared in the celebrated HBO drama series Rome as Marcus Agrippa.

In 2010, he appeared in The Tudors as the doomed Francis Dereham, former lover of Catherine Howard. Later in that year, Leech appeared in the international celebrated series Downton Abbey as chauffeur Tom Branson, whose Irish Republicanism and socialist beliefs clash with the British upper class.

In 2011, Leech played the role of officer Sam Leonard in the television series Primeval in series five. In 2012, he starred in the film adaptation The Sweeney and in 2014 as the spy John Cairncross in The Imitation Game.

In 2005, Leech was voted sexist Irish male in U Magazine and named the best dressed men in Britain in 2015.

In 2017, Leech appeared with Ginnifer Goodwin in the Los Angeles production of Constellations, the play running from June 14^th to July 23^rd 2017 at the Geffen Playhouse.

In 2018, Leech appeared as Freddie Mercury's manager and male lover in Bohemian Rhapsody, earning him a nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the 25^th Screen Actors Guild Awards.

PERSONAL LIFE & TRIVIA

Allen Leech and Jessica Blair Herman

In February 2018, Allen announced his engagement to actress Jessica Blair Herman. They were married in an outdoor ceremony on January 5^th, 2019 at the Alisal Ranch and Resort in Solvang, California. Wedding guests included Allen's Downton Abbey costars, as well as costars of Bohemian Rhapsody Rami Malek, Gwilym Lee and Lucy Boynton. In September of 2019, the couple announced they were expecting their first child.

Allen is friends with Downton Abbey costars Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Dan Stevens, Jessica Brown Findlay, and Robert James-Collier.

In an interview concerning Downton Abbey in 2010, Allen stated: “I couldn't pick anyone. You can pick any one member of this cast and the caliber of actors is very, very evident. I have to say I love acting with Penelope Wilton – we have some lovely stuff to do – and with Hugh [Hugh Bonneville] And I have a lot to do with Michelle [Michelle Dockery] as well this year, which is really lovely. But I couldn't single out anyone one person really. It's rare that happens on a job.”

Allen and Jessica Brown Findlay

Speaking about Jessica Brown Findlay: “I miss her because she was a great friend, you know. We all miss her on set but you move on, and the same with Dan [Dan Stevens]. You miss them but you just carry on because there are still great stories to tell and Dan leaving and Jess leaving has given myself and Michelle incredible journeys to go on as actors and as characters.”

Allen Leech, Maggie Smith & Michelle Dockery

On Maggie Smith: “As an actor watching someone who is that experienced every day is a school day. It's a masterclass and she's absolutely lovely. She's every bit as witty as a woman as she is the Dowager Countess. She can be quite cutting! But in a very hilarious way. She's really fantastic.”

Allen Leech & Ava Mann who plays his daughter

On Ava Mann who plays his daughter in Downton Abbey (2010): “Ava is an absolutely gorgeous little girl – and a consummate professional at the age of 21 months! At the start of the year she was really awestruck, kind of taking everything in – you now obviously for any who's not even two years of age to have a film crew standing there doing her hair … We had a great time. Happy enough once she got to know me. She loved going for walks around the grounds. She made herself right at home. I expect her to be upping the method next year. I gave her a couple of books on Stanislavski. They are coloring books. She'll be fine.”

VIDEO SCENES

Allen Leech discusses his role in Downton Abbey:

Allen Leech does impressions of Downton Abbey actors & director:

Lady Sybil's Mysterious Phone Call and Tom's appearance:

Tom falls into the clutches of Edna, the new maid:

Sybil & Branson - A Story of Social Class: