'I can't wait to cast her in a film,' says one UK casting director; another bemoans the fact Michelle Dockery is never available because she is always on stage. She has been propelled into the limelight this year thanks to her captivating performance in Peter Hall's production of Pygmalion, which had critics hailing her as a theatrical revelation. Dockery graduated from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 2004, taking a smattering of roles on UK television while building her theatre credits. Now she is ready for the big screen. She cites Mike Leigh, Shane Meadows, Adrian Shergold and the Coen brothers as the type of directors with whom she would like to work. 'Theatre has been the way it's happened for me so far,' says Dockery. 'But all you want as an actor is a versatile career.'

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