Every time I read an interview with a Downton Abbey cast member, they seem to be discussing how much downtime they have on set
(apparently Bananagrams is a favorite pastime). Actor Rob-James Collier (aka the villainous butler Thomas Barrow) decided to put his leisure time to good use by filming a video for charity on his iPhone.
It's all part of a campaign Collier launched to raise £10,000 for the Chilterns MS Centre. He released "Downton Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Valet" to spark interest with the promise of a follow-up once he reached his goal. Since he's passed his target, Collier has already announced "Downton Wars: Episode 2 – The Evil Butler Strikes Back!" is forthcoming, although he's still accepting donations to the charity on his website.
This first video, however, is pretty great all on its own. It pits Downton's "Phantom Valet" John Bates (Brendan Coyle) against "Evil Butler" Barrow for a Star Wars-inspired battle and some gentle Downton Abbey mocking.
