Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes , who has revealed he drew on his own experience for a recent storyline in the show . He captivates audiences with his depiction of 1920 ’ s upper-class society , taking in the rules and etiquette of the time and creating characters who struggle to live by them . But Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has revealed that he drew on his own experience for his latest storyline for the show set in the roaring 1920s . Lord Fellowes said he used an episode of romantic rejection when he was a young man to create a plot for the show ’ s fifth series . His character Lady Rose , played by actress Lily James , was torn between her love interest , the son of Jewish immigrants and her family who do not approve of him . The 65-year-old told the New York Times that he too was left feeling insecure after he was rejected by one of his first loves because of his religion . ' I felt it as a Catholic when I was young . One of my first girlfriends was from a fairly senior Jewish family ' , he said . 'They were a very nice family – I ’ m still friendly , actually , with the girl and her brother . 'But her parents wanted a Jewish husband . 'And it ’ s a very strange feeling when you realise that people don ’ t like you because of what you are. ’ He also told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the rejection was 'sort of my first experience of not being desirable . ' He added : 'They certainly didn ’ t want a Catholic in the family . ‘ People always think the prejudice is one-way , but it can be two ways . I wanted to use that in the show. ’ He said the 1920s was a time when : ‘ People didn ’ t mind if you came to their house or you shot their pheasants , you ate their dinners or went to their daughter ’ s dances . 'But , my God , they didn ’ t want you to marry her. ’ Lord Fellowes refused to identify the woman who spurned him , but has said she belongs to one of the 'great Jewish families ' . In Downton Abbey , the character Lady Rose , played by Lily James , right , was torn between her love interest , Atticus , the son of Jewish immigrants played by Matt Barber , and her family who do not approve of him . He has now been married to his wife Emma Kitchener for 25 years . A sixth series of Downton Abbey has been commissioned and goes into production later this year . However , he has hinted that the series may be the last saying 'it is not going to go on forever ' . The screenwriter admits there is no way he could continue to write it while working on his next major project , The Gilded Age . He was commissioned almost a year ago by US television network NBC to write the programme , which has been dubbed the American version of of the ITV1 show . A sixth series of Downton Abbey has been commissioned by ITV and goes into production later this year but Lord Fellowes has hinted this series may be the last . The Gilded Age will chart 'the dizzying , brilliant ascents and calamitous falls ' of New York society in late 19th century . It is being billed by NBC as ‘ an epic tale of the princes of the American Renaissance and the vast fortunes made - and spent - in late 19th- century New York ’ . 'This was a vivid time in America , ' said Lord Fellowes . 'There was record-breaking ostentation and savage rivalry , in a time when money was king . '
Julian Fellowes says he used his romantic rejection to create a storyline . Says he was rejected by one of his first loves because of his religion . Explains he was Catholic while girlfriend was from a senior Jewish family . Says the family only wanted his love interest to have a Jewish husband . His experiences mirror that of his Downton Abbey character Lady Rose . She too was torn between her love interest and a family who do not approve of him .