Dame Maggie Smith, the famed British actress known for her roles in the Harry Porter series and Downton Abbey, has passed away at the age of 89.
In a statement released by her two sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, Dame Maggie died peacefully at a London hospital on Friday, September 27.
“She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother. We would like to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.
“We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”
The popular actress had an illustrious career spanning over seven decades. She was known for her commanding presence in the various roles she played. She won two Academy Awards and four Oscar nominations and went on to win eight BAFTA awards.
In the Harry Porter series, Maggie is known for her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall, where she showed her no-nonsense demeanor. She also wowed her audience in her role as Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, in the ITV drama Downton Abbey.
Her former colleagues have paid tribute to her extraordinary talent. Hugh Bonneville described her as a “true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances.”
Maggie began her acting career in theatre, and she quickly rose to prominence due to her sharp wit and talent. By 1963, she joined the National Theatre, where she starred opposite Laurence Olivier in Othello, earning her first nomination.
Other prominent roles include in films such as A Room With a View and Gosford Park, and she continued to shine on stage, winning a Tony Award in 1990 for Lettice and Lovage.
Dame Maggie was married to fellow actor Robert Stephens (1967 to 1975), and later to Beverly Cross between 1975 until his death in 1998.
