Dame Maggie Smith, the celebrated British actress renowned for her roles as Professor McGonagall in the “Harry Potter” series and Violet Crawley in “Downton Abbey,” has passed away at the age of 89, as confirmed by her family.
Smith died peacefully in a hospital early Friday morning, with her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens sharing a statement through publicist Clair Dobbs.
They described her as “an intensely private person” who was surrounded by friends and family in her final moments.
Born Margaret Natalie Smith on December 28, 1934, in Ilford, Essex, she was often regarded as one of the finest British actresses of her generation, alongside talents like Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench. Her family relocated to Oxford when she was four, and she began her acting studies at the Oxford Playhouse at 16.
Smith’s career took off in 1952 when she debuted as Viola in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” She made her Broadway entrance in 1956, performing in “New Faces of 1956.” Although her first film appearance came in 1956, she received her first screen credit in the 1959 film “Nowhere to Go,” which marked the beginning of her impressive journey, earning her 18 BAFTA nominations.
Her talent was recognized by Laurence Olivier, who invited her to join the original National Theatre company, and he cast her as his co-star in a 1965 film version of “Othello.” Smith won her first Academy Award for Best Actress in 1969 for her role in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,” where she portrayed a compelling Edinburgh schoolteacher. She also received a supporting actress Oscar for “California Suite” in 1978.
Over her illustrious career, she was nominated for four additional Academy Awards and won four more BAFTAs, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globes, and a Tony Award. She was just one Grammy shy of achieving EGOT status. In a 2015 interview, she remarked, “And I think that’s never gonna happen!”
Smith remained a sought-after actress in her later years, despite her concerns about the limited roles available to older women in film. Her portrayal of Professor McGonagall in the “Harry Potter” series introduced her to a younger audience. She humorously stated, “Harry Potter is my pension,” reflecting on how the role transformed her career.
She continued acting well into her 80s, appearing in the 2022 film “Downton Abbey: A New Era” and the 2023 release “The Miracle Club.” When asked about retirement during her peak in “Downton Abbey,” she expressed, “I think that the date for that has gone by. I fear that I won’t work in the theater again. I’m sad about that. But I won’t retire. I think I’ll keep going with Violet and whatever other old biddy comes along.”
In 1990, Smith was honored as a Dame Commander of the British Empire. She married actor Robert Stephens in 1967, had two sons, Christopher and Toby, and divorced in 1975. She then married writer Beverley Cross, who passed away in 1998.
She leaves behind two sons and five grandchildren who are heartbroken over the loss of their remarkable mother and grandmother.
