Dame Maggie Smith, one of the most beloved and iconic actors on the stage and screen, has passed away at 89. Smith was known to millions worldwide for her iconic roles in both Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, and her death marks the end of an extraordinary career that spanned over seven decades. Smith was born in Essex in 1934, and she kicked off her career on the stage in the 1950s, quickly becoming well known for her remarkable ability to play any character with sharp wit and immense charisma. The roles she played in her career are countless, but these are two roles that will stand out to many.
It was her portrayal of Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film series that introduced her and endeared her to a legion of younger audiences. As the stern yet compassionate Hogwarts professor and deputy headmaster, Smith brought the Transfiguration professor to life with a perfect blend of discipline and heart, and for many, she was the most perfect piece of casting in a series that was filled with iconic performances.
For older viewers, Smith earned acclaim and huge popularity for her performance as the incredible Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, in Downton Abbey. With her impeccable timing and acerbic wit, she was able to utterly dismantle an individual in as few words as necessary and was one of the show’s breakout performers. She waved goodbye to the character at the end of the most recent film, Downton Abbey: A New Era, with one of the most iconic final lines in history in which she demanded her maid stop crying so she could hear herself die.
A Life Well Lived, Full of Acclaim
With 1969’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Smith won her first Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of the unconventional and charismatic teacher Jean Brodie. She won a second Oscar, for Best Supporting Actress, for California Suite in 1978. She also won three BAFTA Awards for Jean Brodie, A Room with a View and The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, a Tony award for Best Actress in a Play for Lettice and Lovage (1990) and four Emmy Awards, including three for Downton Abbey.
She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1990 for her contributions to the arts. Smith is survived by her two sons, actors Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin. The world may have lost one of its great actresses, but her performances will live on—whether in the Great Hall of Hogwarts or the stately grandeur of Downton Abbey. We send our thoughts and prayers to those who knew and loved her.
via Collider