Maggie Smith, Oscar-Winning 'Harry Potter', 'Downton Abbey', And 'Sister Act' Star Has Died At 89
The British actress was another triple threat of TV, movies, and theater, with an eight decade-long career
On September 27, 2023, Harry Potter Dumbledore actor Michael Gambon died at the age of 82. Now, exactly one year later, it’s time to say goodbye to Professor McGonagall. Dame Maggie Smith, the British actress who not only starred in the boy wizard films as the warm Hogwarts teacher but the Downton Abbey series and its two movies as well as dozens of other movies, TV shows, and West End and Broadway stage productions died Friday at the age of 89.
A statement from her sons, actors Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin to the BBC said on Friday: “It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith. She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.”
Smith was one of the highest-regarded British screen and stage actors of her generation and will be remembered for her performances in iconic films and TV shows, that aside from the aforementioned include 1965’s Othello with Laurence Olivier, which earned her a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination, as Wendy Darling in Steven Spielberg’s Hook with Robin Williams, the Sister Act films, Gosford Park, which earned her her last Oscar nomination, and The Lady in the Van. Margaret Natalie Smith was born on December 28, 1934, in Essex, England. She began her stage career as a student performer at the Oxford Playhouse at the age of 17 in 1952. She would amass such stage credits as The Private Ear and The Public Eye (both 1962), Ingmar Bergman’s Hedda Gabler (1970), Virginia (1981), The Way of the World (1984), Three Tall Women (1994), A Delicate Balance (1997), and The Breath of Life (2002), with her last UK stage performance being A German Life in 2019, where she played the longtime secretary of Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels. In all it would garner her a record six Evening Standard awards. Her Broadway debut came in 1956 as part of that year’s edition of New Faces. In 1975, she starred in a production of Noel Coward’s Private Lives and Night and Day in 1979.
Minerva McGonagall was not only a professor at the wizarding school, but the head of Gryffindor House where Potter and friends Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, among many others, as well as deputy headmistress to Dumbledore. Appearing in all 7 books, Smith played her in all eight movies as a warm supportive figure for the heroes, and the most present for them of the female faculty. As the franchise socials put it in their tribute, her quick wit and formidable presence made sure Hogwarts was always in safe hands. Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter, remembers her for even more “The first time I met Maggie Smith I was 9 years old and we were reading through scenes for David Copperfield, which was my first job. I knew virtually nothing about her other than that my parents were awestruck at the fact that I would be working with her. The other thing I knew about her was that she was a Dame, so the first thing I asked her when we met was ‘would you like me to call you Dame?’ at which she laughed and said something to the effect of ‘don’t be ridiculous!’ I remember feeling nervous to meet her and then her putting me immediately at ease. She was incredibly kind to me on that shoot, and then I was lucky enough to go on working with her for another 10 years on the Harry Potter films.” He continued “She was a fierce intellect, a gloriously sharp tongue, could intimidate and charm in the same instant and was, as everyone will tell you, extremely funny. I will always consider myself amazingly lucky to have been able to work with her, and to spend time around her on set. The word legend is overused but if it applies to anyone in our industry then it applies to her. Thank you Maggie.” Smith was Emmy-nominated for her Copperfield performance.
Bonnie Wright, who played Ron’s younger sister Ginny Weasley, honored Smith as well. “Our dearly loved and revered head of Gryffindor house ❤️ you will be so missed by the Harry Potter community. My favourite scene with Maggie was when we were all learning to dance for the Yule Ball. She embodied that perfect balance of sass and loving care that McGonagall has. She kept Gryffindors on their toes. My deepest condolences to Maggie’s family at this time.” Hermione actress Emma Watson shared in an Instagram story “When I was younger I had no idea of Maggie’s legend – the woman I was fortunate enough to share space with. It is only as I’ve become an adult that I’ve come to appreciate that I shared the screen with a true definition of greatness. She was real, honest, funny and self-honouring. Maggie, there were a lot fo male professors and by God you held your own. Thank you for all of your kindness. I’ll miss you.” The beginning sentiment is certainly shared by many who are around Watson’s age and grew up with the films as they originally released.
Downton Abbey creator and writer Julian Fellowes, who had worked with Smith twice beforehand, as the writer of Gosford Park and then as director of the 2009 fantasy drama From Time to Time, said in his own statement “Maggie Smith was a truly great actress and we were more than fortunate to be part of the last act in her stellar career. She was a joy to write for, subtle, many-layered, intelligent, funny and heart-breaking. Working with her has been the greatest privilege of my career, and I will never forget her.” On the period drama that won her three Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actress playing Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, first when it was categorized as a miniseries and then as a drama series, with the two wins there sandwiched by two losses. She would return to the role for the subsequent films in 2019 and 2022.
Two of her co-stars on the series and the films also gave statements. “Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent,” star Hugh Bonneville shared. “She was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances. My condolences to her boys and wider family.” From Michelle Dockery, “There was no one quite like Maggie. I feel tremendously lucky to have known such a maverick. She will be deeply missed and my thoughts are with her family.” Sister Act co-star Whoopi Goldberg posted a tribute to her Instagram, writing Maggie Smith was a great woman and a brilliant actress. I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to work with the ‘one-of-a-kind’. My heartfelt condolences go out to the family…RIP.”
Smith won two Oscars, first for Best Actress as the title role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, and the second for Best Supporting Actress as Diana Barrie in California Suite in 1979. Smith also won five BAFTA awards, a British Academy Fellowship and Special Lifetime Achievement Award and an Emmy for the 2003 TV movie drama My House in Umbria, which of course predated her three for Downton. Smith’s final film role was as Lily Fox in last year’s The Miracle Club, co-starring Laura Linney and Kathy Bates.
Sources: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter
RIP.