Downton Abbey's black character Jack Ross

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception 

Enjoying a pleasant row down the river, actors Gary Carr and Lily James film a scene from Downton Abbey.
The presence of Carr marks the first time the programme has ever had a black character.

Carr, 26, was announced in May as the latest new addition to the 1920s period drama, which until now has had an exclusively white cast.

First look: Actor Gary Carr was spotted filming scenes as jazz singer Jack Ross for the new series of Downton Abbey last week

Love story? Gary shot scenes with Lily James, who plays rebellious Lady Rose MacClare

He will play American jazz singer Jack Ross for the programme’s fourth series, which airs in the autumn, and these photographs are the first time his character has been seen. 
Carr, 26, who is best known for starring as bumbling police officer Fidel Best in the BBC’s Death in Paradise, joins opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Nigel Harman as new faces on the programme.
His casting followed programme creator Julian Fellowes saying he wanted to diversify Downton for series four.

Making a change: Downton creator Julian Fellowes said he wanted to 'open it up ethnically a bit'

Last year Fellowes said he hoped to ‘open it up ethnically a bit’ and revealed he was considering adding a black or Indian character.
And producer Gareth Neame has said Carr’s character will bring ‘interesting twists to the drama’.

In this scene Carr is in a rowing boat with Miss James, 24, who plays Lady Rose MacClare, the rebellious great-nice of Dame Maggie Smith’s character Dowager Countess Violet Crawley.

All that jazz: Gary will play a jazz singer called Jack Ross

Gentleman: Jack takes charge of the row boat for an afternoon with Lady Rose

Lady MacClare caused controversy in the last series when she appeared as a guest at the house and began an affair with Terence Margadale, Edward Baker-Duly.
But details of the latest storyline have yet to be revealed.
Miss James, who was relatively unknown before her first appearance on Downton Abbey, has since been cast as the lead role in Disney’s remake of Cinderella, alongside Cate Blanchett who plays the wicked stepmother.
No doubt Carr, who has also appeared in the television shows Bluestone 42 and Foyle’s War, will be hoping the show brings him similar success.

Gary talks to the director during a pause in the scene