Sophie McShera’s weird cinema party

Sophie McShera used to be “obsessed” with The Sound of Music.

The British actress is best known for playing kitchen maid Daisy Mason in hit period drama Downton Abbey. However she is about to make her movie debut in Cinderella alongside Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham Carter. And it seems the star has always been destined for the silver screen considering the unusual get togethers she used to host as a child.

“I was obsessed with The Sound of Music. I always feel nostalgic watching it,” she confessed to the British edition of Marie Claire. “When I was ten, I had a weird cinema party where I invited everyone from my street to come. I pretended I was an usher and tried to sell them all popcorn.”

Now that she has made the big time, Sophie has had some amazing opportunities including hitting the red carpet of award ceremonies like the SAG Awards and visiting The White House in Washington.

“When the Downton cast went to the White House for a tour, I kept saying, ‘It’s just like The West Wing!’” she said of her favourite TV show. “The staff were like, ‘it IS the West Wing.'”

Despite making the move from television to cinema, Sophie had one familiar face by her side in the form of Downton Abbey cast mate Lily James, who plays the title role in the live action Disney film.

However the girls found it a little strange for their characters to be on opposite levels of the house to what they are used to.

“It was so much fun playing the evil stepsister in Cinderella, but I did feel bad – every time we’d finish a take I’d have to say sorry to Lily," she laughed “I was upstairs and she was downstairs, so it was a complete role reversal after Downton Abbey [in which Lily plays Lady Rose MacClare]. She still looked beautiful in her rags, though.”