Belgravia's Alice Eve: 'Julian Fellowes is a feminist - but he's never said it out loud'

The Star Trek Into Darkness actress (who plays Susan Trenchard in the series) made the comments during the press premiere of the upcoming ITV period drama, based on Fellowes' book of the same name, and which is set in London society during the 19th century - a time when the nouveau riche were on the rise.

Asked whether she believed that Fellowes was adept at writing female characters, she responded: "I think he's a feminist, but he's never said it out loud. I think... he definitely is a feminist and I think, as woman you read scenes often and you think, 'oh well, you wouldn't really say that', or, 'nobody loves their husband that much' or you know, there's always something that would be played out differently.

"But with Julian, every scene, you think, 'right, that's absolutely right', he covers all the corners, all the feelings, all the potentials, and so that was - I was just thrilled to be asked [to be in the show]."

Eve's co-star Tamsin Greig also praised how the show views the 19th century from a female perspective. "I was really excited to investigate a world which the viewers are invited to inhabit through the kind of aorta of a woman... you go in through the story of this woman [Greig's character, Anne Trenchard]," she said.

The six-part series is adapted by Fellowes and will begin on Sunday 15th March 2020 at 9pm on ITV, airing weekly.