- Matthew Goode won't appear in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale as Henry Talbot.
- This is Goode's second absence from the franchise.
- He revealed that only a tiny scene was ever written for him, but scheduling conflicts made it impossible to film.
Us Downton Abbey fans have been patiently waiting for the past three and a half years for the final installment of the Downton franchise, and we've finally got it in the form of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. The movie is sure to be filled with irresistible scandal, glamour, and posh English accents, but there's one person who will be missing from the Crawley gang this time around: Henry Talbot. Henry, played by actor Matthew Goode, sadly won't be one of the familiar faces appearing in the film.
"Why the heck not?" you might be asking. Well, here's everything we know about why he won't be in the movie.
Why isn't Matthew Goode in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale?
Matthew Goode won't be reprising his role of Henry Talbot in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale due to a combination of scheduling conflicts and knee surgery. Goode also told Deadline that there was only ever "a half-a-page scene" written for him in the new film. He explained that he and Michelle Dockery, who plays Lady Mary, "were going to ask for a slight rewrite or something or other," but the original plan kept moving ahead and it was scheduled for a time when Goode wouldn't be able to make it work.
This isn't the first time Goode has been notably absent from a Downton production. In the first movie, he made a small cameo, but by the sequel, Downton Abbey: A New Era, he was completely gone due to scheduling conflicts with his show at the time, The Offer.
So, how will they deal with Matthew Goode not being in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale?
If you want absolutely zero spoilers about what happens in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (like, not even what's in the trailer), then close your eyes right now, because the trailer does let us in on what the writers have planned for Goode's Henry (or, rather, lack thereof): he and Lady Mary are now divorced!
In Downton Abbey: A New Era, Henry's absence was explained away by saying he was gone on some car-related trip–something that seemed to put a big strain on his marriage to Lady Mary, so the divorce doesn't come out of nowhere.
But the revelation seems to cause quite the scandal for Mary once it becomes public knowledge, even getting her kicked out of a ball–divorced women weren't exactly welcome in society back then. It also seems the divorce will bring up some questions about Mary's future running Downton. But let's be real, we all know she's the best person for the job, with or without a husband.
