It didn't take long for "Downton Abbey" to move on from Matthew Crawley's shocking death in the Masterpiece series' Season 3 finale.

British actor Tom Ellis has reportedly auditioned for the role of Lady Mary's (Michelle Dockery) new Season 4 love interest, according to a report in The Mirror. Ellis, who stars in the BBC comedy "Miranda," is reportedly on the "short list" for the role, and an ITV source told The Mirror that landing him would be a "major coup." The report goes on to say that Lady Mary's new romance will be a major component of the new season, after Crawley's tragic car crash left her as a single mother.

"Downton" producers previously told the Daily Mail what they were looking for in Lady Mary's new boyfriend. "Some were too dark, some too blond, some too bland -- though a couple have been put on a shortlist that the producers and creative people will discuss. The main criteria for him is that he should be posh -- and pretty."

Ellis would be stepping in for the departing Dan Stevens, who decided to leave "Downton" after its third season.

“We were always optioned for three years,” Stevens explained. “And when that came up it was a very difficult decision. But it felt like a good time to take stock, to take a moment. From a personal point of view, I wanted a chance to do other things." Stevens just finished a run in "The Heiress" on Broadway.

Loading Slideshow...

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Downton's new footman Alfred Nugent

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Lady Mary, Lady Sybil and Anna

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Earl Of Grantham, Robert

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Alfred Nugent

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Mrs Hughes

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Mrs Hughes and Mr Carson

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Dinner downstairs

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Mrs Hughes and O'Brien

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Alfred Nugent

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Mr Carson

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Mr Carson

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    O'Brien

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    O'Brien

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Tom Branson

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Anna Bates and Thomas Barrow

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Carson and O'Brien

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Daisy

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Thomas and Daisy

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Alfred Nugent

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Robert

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Robert

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Robert and Carson

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Robert and Carson

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Lady Edith

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Anthony Strallan

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Lady Edith and Anthony Strallan

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Lady Edith

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Anna and Bates

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Bates

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Anna

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Anna

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Shirley MacLaine as Martha Levinson

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

    Shirley MacLaine as Martha Levinson

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

  • Downton series 3 episode 1

Related on HuffPost: