Downton Abbey's Laura Carmichael, interview Carmichael, 26, looked glamorous in a powder blue strapless dress by British designer Christopher Kane, as she attended a Downton-themed ball in Los Angeles. It was part of "BritWeek," a promotion of British links with California. Asked which Hollywood star she would want as Lady Edith's love interest in the show, she told The Telegraph: "Ryan Gosling. I think he would be brilliant in Downton, and it would be a waste if it doesn't happen. Gosling, star of The Notebook, has yet to sign, but there will be no shortage of drama in Lady Edith's love life. Asked if she will find a man, Carmichael said "I can't possibly reveal," but added: "As ever with Julian and the show there are ups and downs and twists and turns to the story, and all of it is desperately exciting." One of the most memorable moments of series three saw Lady Edith's hopes of a happy conventional marriage dashed when the much older Sir Anthony Strallan left her standing at the altar. In the next series the character of wealthy London newspaper editor Michael Gregson, played by Charles Edwards, who asked her to write a column, will return and that makes things "complicated" for Lady Edith. "Her editor, obviously there is a spark and that continues really," says Carmichael. It's great because I completely understand how much Edith has come on, and it really has come out of unfortunate things happening to her, and not getting the life she planned. I've always thought she would have been a dutiful wife, and it sparked her to find something else to do, and she does. As ever Julian manages to take the characters we know and love into exciting places at exciting times that we also know about, so we know that in the twenties women were beginning to do these things and we believe we're following it accurately. She's still going despite the knocks she's had. It's those terrible things that happened, those unlucky things, that have led to her growing and becoming a much stronger person. Even looking at series three so much has changed in terms of her aspirations and how she conducts herself as a modern woman, and that has come out of being jilted. For the Southampton-born actress the "Roaring Twenties" will mean fewer constricting corsets and more new outfits, and Downton costume designer Caroline McCall has been "putting out some stunners," she says. "There's one particular showstopper for which Caroline used original material, which she made a bodice out of, made a skirt out of chiffon with this amazing diamante, it's a dream," Carmichael says. So I'm having a wonderful time. That particular dress is for a special occasion and when you put on something that does feel that special it really helps get the feel for it. On one occasion Lady Edith will be seen daringly not wearing gloves at dinner. "For me, having worked on the show for three years I feel how controversial that is, how sexy that is," says Carmichael. Ungloved in London. It's really exciting. No gloves. Shocking. Off screen Carmichael is close friends with Michelle Dockery who plays her sister Lady Mary, with whom she feuded bitterly in the first series. The two actresses live around the corner from each other. Laura Carmichael, Downton Abbey's Lady Edith, and the show's executive producer Gareth Neame (Getty Images) "I think with Mary that relationship is still there but it's changing," she says. Michelle and I are great friends and we just love working together. It's almost easier because there's no half apology afterwards. I can call her a slut and mean it, sort of thing, as I did in the first series. We really laughed that day because there isn't any part of me holding back. We respect each other as actors and we really give over to that, and then fall about laughing. It's very interesting what happens in series four because their relationship is what it is, and the things Mary goes through and Edith witnesses, it can't in some way undo all the pain that is there, but it does interesting things to their relationship and it changes and evolves. I'm actually quite pleased that that spunkiness between them hasn't completely disappeared. Carmichael is also savouring working with Dame Maggie Smith. "I was recently sent an amusing picture of a cat, as one is these days, and I showed it to her and she fell around laughing," she says. And for the rest of the week it started every morning with 'show me the cat again.' So it's now become my thing that I try to find hilarious animals to show round. The new series will see some new characters introduced, including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa as a singing house guest, and Downton's first black character, a charismatic jazz singer called Jack Ross, played by Gary Carr. Shirley MacLaine will return as the outspoken Martha Levinson and producers hope an injection of new blood will help viewers get over the departure of romantic lead Dan Stevens, after the actor left to pursue a Hollywood career. Executive director Gareth Neame said: "Obviously, there have been some big exits in the last year or so but that's very much part of what keeps the show fresh, and keeps it alive, and the turnover of people, as long as the core cast is recognisable as Downton, you want to have that injection of new energy. Of course Laura and all her colleagues are very well known actors so there's all sorts of exciting things ahead for them but I hope that all of those things can happen while we continue to make Downton, because Downtons don't come along very much in a career, they may come along only once. We cherish that. For all of us that's pretty special. The reaction to Downton in the US has been astonishing. The season three finale was the most watched show in America that night with an average 12.3 million viewers. It has become the most nominated ever non-American show at the Emmy Awards, and in January the cast took home the Screen Actors Guild award for best ensemble performance. Eplaining the popularity of the show, which is broadcast on PBS, Mr Neame said: "We're much more used to this type of material, there are period dramas on the television in the UK every week of the month. It's part of our DNA, and you have to remember it really is not here. It's very different, very alien, that whole class system, the hereditary system, the idea of servants, a castle for goodness sake... America is already itching for a big screen movie but, as yet, there are no plans. Mr Neame said: "There's no worked out absolutely firm plans or anything like that, but you never know. It wouldn't interrupt he TV shows because that's what it is first and foremost. But who knows, things move so quickly.