Elizabeth McGovern: Latest Updates, Recent Interviews & What to Know Right Now

Elizabeth McGovern lit up New York City last night as she stepped onto the red carpet for the world premiere of “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,” the big-screen swan song of Julian Fellowes’ beloved franchise. The Oscar-nominated actress, forever synonymous with Lady Cora Crawley, was joined by co-stars Hugh Bonneville and Michelle Dockery at Lincoln Center, where fans cheered the return of the Crawley clan and got an early glimpse of the period spectacle that opens in theaters nationwide on 12 September 2025. McGovern, 64, turned heads in a color-block silk column dress that showcased her now-signature silver hair—an elegant statement that continues to earn praise from beauty editors for challenging outdated rules about aging in Hollywood. Moments before the screening, she surprised a group of superfans inside the theater alongside Bonneville, thanking them for “making Downton a global family for 15 years”. While television audiences bid farewell to Cora this month, McGovern has no plans to slow down. Rehearsals are already under way for the U.S. tour of “Ava: The Secret Conversations,” the one-woman play she authored and stars in, channeling classic-era screen siren Ava Gardner. After a critically acclaimed London run, the production opens at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre on 8 October before moving to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.. Industry insiders point to the play’s awards buzz—fueling speculation that McGovern could add a Tony to a trophy cabinet that already houses BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild honors. Away from set and stage, the Illinois-born star continues to front her folk-rock band Sadie & the Hotheads and has quietly produced an upcoming documentary on women over 50 in the entertainment industry. In interviews, she credits her recent double-hip replacement for giving her the stamina to juggle film promotion, theater rehearsals and concert dates—all while mentoring young actresses on the “Downton” set. Search interest in McGovern surged 400 percent this week as fans hunted for premiere photos, fashion breakdowns and box-office predictions. “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” is tracking for a $35 million domestic opening, according to early industry estimates—a figure that could climb if nostalgic word-of-mouth echoes the franchise’s previous record-breaking runs. Whether commanding Highclere Castle’s drawing room or Chicago’s stages, Elizabeth McGovern remains a master at reinventing herself. With a blockbuster film, a buzzed-about play and viral red-carpet moments, 2025 is shaping up to be her most dynamic chapter yet—and audiences on both sides of the Atlantic can’t seem to get enough.