Downton Abbey favourite joins cast for TV remake of beloved classic Western

The cast of MGM+’s upcoming remake of The Magnificent Seven has only grown starrier, now with the likes of Downton Abbey‘s Joanne Froggatt and The Gilded Age‘s Amy Forsyth having come onboard.

Having already been adapted two times for the big screen (with the 1960 film itself a remake of Japanese film Seven Samurai), fans may be intrigued to learn that both Froggatt and Forsyth’s characters didn’t actually exist in either the 1960 version or the more recent 2016 rendition.

New characters to the franchise, Froggatt is set to star as Harriet Talbot, who is described as “sharp, unflinching, and unwilling to back down”.

A character who’s born into poverty in Boston, Harriet’s story begins as she escapes from an abusive marriage to a wealthy merchant and pregnant, finds a home for wayward women where she is encouraged to give the baby up for adoption.

As per her character description (via Deadline): “Lost and with nowhere to turn, she happened upon a Quaker community that took her in without question. The community became her home and her faith.

“Wanting to marry and settle down, she is matched with Samuel in a Quaker community all the way out in Wyoming. Shortly after she arrives, and minutes after the ceremony, Samuel is killed in Skelton in an effort to scare them off their land. Harriet cannot stand idly by. She sets out to find protection, and it’s through her that Chris is drawn into the mission. Her strength isn’t in firepower. It’s in conviction.”

Froggatt is best known for her starring roles as Anna Bates in Downton Abbey, as well as in TV shows like Liar, Angela Black, North Shore and MobLand.

As for Forsyth’s character, the CODA actress is set to play the “wry, sarcastic, and emotionally guarded” Katie ‘Deadeye’ Dalton. Recruited for her gun skills for the wild west show, Katie’s path is set to cross with Vin (played by Michael Ealy) for a “brief, vivid fling neither quite forgot”.

When she returns home to find her family nowhere to be seen, she turns to alcohol to nurse the pain and one night, accidentally kills her co-star whilst on stage.

Forsyth is known for her roles in films like Beautiful Boy and The Novice, as well as series like Rise, Dear Edward and Coyote.

Froggatt and Forsyth join the already announced cast which includes Matt Dillon as Chris Adams, Will Patton as Cyrus T Clemons, Michael Ealy as Vin Tanner and Danny Pino as Santiago ‘Santi’ Vega. Seeing as they’re two new characters for the franchise and mark a turn away from the previous films largely male-centred narratives, we can’t wait to see how they bring their parts to life in this expectedly tense western.

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The synopsis for The Magnificent Seven reads: “Set in the tumultuous 1880s American frontier, The Magnificent Seven follows seven gifted but flawed mercenaries hired to protect a peaceful Quaker village after it is massacred by mercenaries working for a ruthless land baron trying to seize their land.

“As the team embeds itself and prepares to defend against overwhelming odds, they grapple with a central question: Is violence acceptable to defend people whose faith is based on non-violence? The series explores the backstories of each of the Seven, what’s at stake for them, and why they choose this mission – delving into themes of honour, sacrifice, redemption, morality, and faith.”

The Magnificent Seven will be coming to MGM+.

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