"Downton Abbey" lost a few cast members last season, but is adding six news ones, including opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. The show will also bring back Shirley MacLane for its Season 4 finale.
The New Zealand-born soprano (left) will play a guest who sings at the Crawley household. Other cast additions include:
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>> Tom Cullen as Lord Gillingham, an old friend who visits the family
>> Nigel Harman as Green, a valet
>> Dame Harriet Walter as Lady Shackleton, an old friend of the Dowager
>> Joanna David in a guest role as the Duchess of Yeovil
>> Julian Ovenden as aristocrat Charles Blake
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MacLaine will reprise her role as Martha Levinson, who joined the cast last year for Lady Mary's wedding to Matthew Crawley.
The new cast members were named after several high-profile departtures. Siobahn Finneran announced last week that she would no longer play conniving maid Sarah O'Brien.
Matthew Crawley, played by Dan Stevens, was knocked off in the Christmas special. And Jessica Brown Findlay's character, Lady Sybil Branson, died after giving birth.