Laura Carmichael is an English actress best known for her role as Lady Edith Crawley in the acclaimed period drama Downton Abbey (2010–2015), a character she portrayed throughout all six seasons and reprised in the feature films released in 2019 and 2022. As Edith, Carmichael navigated a complex character arc—from overlooked middle daughter to confident career woman and Marchioness—earning praise for her nuanced and empathetic performance.
Outside Downton, Carmichael has appeared in television dramas such as Marcella (2016), where she played a key supporting role, and in films like A United Kingdom (2016), a historical drama based on the true story of Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams.
Born in Southampton, she is the middle of three sisters and trained at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating in 2007. Before her breakout role, she worked a range of jobs—including as a teaching assistant and nanny—while auditioning for theatre roles.
