Former Downton Abbey star Jessica Brown Findlay has been cast in the upcoming Morrissey biopic, Steven.
The actress will play British visual artist, Linder Sterling, who became close friends with Morrissey. The artist has included The Smiths frontman in many of her art works, including a photograph book in 1992.
War & Peace’s Jack Lowden has already been announced as the lead actor to play Morrissey. The film chronicles Morrisey’s life in 1970s Manchester, before finding his fame with The Smiths in the 1980s.
Talking to the Daily Mail, Lowden said, "[Morrissey] did a whole bunch of jobs while he figured out who he was. He came from a working-class background, and felt out of place there. He wanted to get out and escape into that explosion of music that was in Manchester around that time. It was exhilarating, and everyone was trying to find their place."
Findlay quit her role in Downton Abbey in 2012, three years before the show ended. The actress did not want to become too comfortable playing one character for years. She told the Telegraph, "I was much more afraid of becoming too comfortable in the Lady Sybil role than I was of leaving it”.
She has since landed roles in Jamaica Inn, The Outcast, The Riot Club and Victor Frankenstein.
In other news, The Smiths recently created a Twitter account, much to Morrissey’s disapproval.
