Dame Maggie Smith, renowned British actress famous for her work in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, has passed away at the age of 89, according to her family. During her career, she won two Oscars for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in 1970 and California Suite in 1979, in addition to receiving seven Bafta awards. Her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin confirmed her death in a statement, adding that she passed away peacefully in hospital. Dame Maggie was known for her sharp wit and formidable talent, and was widely regarded as a true legend of her generation.
In the Harry Potter films, she played the beloved character of Professor Minerva McGonagall, and in Downton Abbey, she played Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham. Her co-star in Downton Abbey, Hugh Bonneville, described Dame Maggie as possessing a sharp eye, sharp wit, and formidable talent, adding that she was a true legend who would be remembered for her magnificent screen performances.
Dame Maggie’s career spanned eight decades, with early acclaim coming when she received her first Bafta nomination for Nowhere to Go in 1958. Her other memorable roles included A Room With a View, in which she played chaperone Charlotte Barlett, Sister Act, in which she played the firm but fair Reverend Mother, and Tea with Mussolini, in which she and fellow national treasure Dame Judi Dench appeared as English women living in 1930s Italy. Her final roles included the upcoming 2023 film The Miracle Club, which also stars Kathy Bates and Laura Linney.
Tributes have been pouring in for Dame Maggie, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer stating that she was beloved by so many for her great talent and had become a true national treasure whose work would be cherished for generations to come. Fellow actress Dame Kristin Scott Thomas recounted that Dame Maggie took acting very seriously but saw through the nonsense and razzmatazz, adding that she had a sense of humor and wit that could reduce her to a blubbering puddle of giggles. National Theatre and Bafta also praised Dame Maggie, describing her as a “legend of British stage and screen” with unmatched intelligence, dexterity, craft, and wit
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