Downton Abbey actors were reportedly “banned” from touching each other too much during filming in order to stay in keeping with the times.
According to Alastair Bruce, who works on historical accuracy and etiquette, the cast were not allowed to touch each other as so much physical contact did not happen between people back in the 1920s.
“I tell the actors not to touch each other. I don’t want any hugging, no physical contact; they just didn’t do that in those days. The reason they didn’t is because it wasn’t that long before then that disease was spread so much more easily,” he explained.
“We don’t tend to compromise on anything we don’t have to when it comes to historical detail, because that has been a value-added element of
Downton Abbey and it has sort of worked. It is important getting the detail right and the pressure does increase. People long to find error.”
Indeed, this was highlighted by the ridicule which the show recently received after
a water bottle was left on a mantelpiece in a promotional picture for the new season.
