LONDON (AP)—Maggie Smith, the legendary actor known for her unforgettable roles in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, passed away on Friday at the age of 89. Her sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, shared that she died early Friday at a London hospital.
“Maggie leaves behind two sons and five grandchildren who are deeply heartbroken by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother,” they said in a statement released by publicist Clair Dobbs.
Smith was often regarded as one of the finest British actors, alongside stars like Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench. Throughout her career, she won two Oscars, multiple Academy Award nominations, and many other prestigious awards.
Known for her commanding stage presence, Smith delivered powerful performances in Shakespearean tragedies like Othello (1965) and animated films such as Gnomeo & Juliet (2011).
Despite joking that acting roles became scarcer with age, Smith remained in demand, even as she humorously described her later roles as a “gallery of grotesques.” She took the role of Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter with a wink, saying, “Harry Potter is my pension.”
Richard Eyre, who worked with her on Suddenly, Last Summer, admired her intellect and wit, stating, “you’dYou’d have to wake up very early to outsmart Maggie Smith.”
Her standout role as Jean Brodie, a charismatic teacher in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress and a BAFTA. She won a second Oscar for California Suite (1978) and added Golden Globes for that role and A Room with a View. Other notable performances include A Private Function, Gosford Park, and The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne.
On stage, she won a Tony Award in 1990 for Lettice and Lovage. Since 2010, she has delighted audiences as Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey, earning three Emmy Awards and legions of fans. However, she admitted feeling relieved when the show ended in 2016, calling it her “freedom.”
Smith continued acting into her 80s, appearing in films like the Downton Abbey spinoffs and The Miracle Club (2023).
Although she was sometimes known for being difficult, many co-stars praised her talent. Richard Burton said Smith didn’t just take over scenes; she “committed grand larceny.” Smith acknowledged she could be impatient but attributed it to her intolerance for fools, noting, “Maybe that’s why I’m good at playing spiky old ladies.”
Critics like Frank Rich admired her ability to turn ordinary lines into epigrams. Her sharp humor shone through in Downton Abbey, where she delivered one-liners like, “What is a weekend?”
King Charles III and Queen Camilla paid tribute, calling Smith a “national treasure.” Fellow actors like Hugh Bonneville, who worked with her on Downton Abbey, remembered her wit and talent, while Rob Lowe, a co-star in Suddenly, Last Summer, praised her formidable presence, saying, “She could eat anyone alive, but she was funny and great company.”
Margaret Natalie Smith was born in Ilford, London, on Dec. 28, 1934. She grew up wanting to act and started performing at Oxford Playhouse. Laurence Olivier recognized her talent, leading her to join his National Theatre Company and star in Othello.
Smith was intensely private and rarely talked about acting. She married actor Robert Stephens in 1967, with whom she had two sons, before divorcing in 1975. Later that year, she married writer Beverley Cross, who died in 1998.
