Maggie Smith, one of the biggest British acting legends of her generation, died at the age of 89. Her career as a stage, film, and TV actress spanned seven decades and included two Oscar-winning performances, in addition to notable roles in Downton Abbey and the Harry Potter franchise.
Smith’s passing was announced in a statement released by her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin on September 27. They revealed she passed away peacefully in a hospital at the age of 89, surrounded by friends and family.
Smith’s rise to prominence started during the 50s when she kicked off her stage career at the Oxford Playhouse before heading to Broadway. She eventually won one Tony Award for her work on stage, which later helped her earn the Triple Crown of Acting.
Smith’s filmography includes two Oscar-winning performances in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and California Suite, in addition to four more nominations. The general public knows her as Professor Minerva McGonagall from the Harry Potter films, while the list of her notable credits also includes Hook, Sister Act, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, A Room with a View, and Gosford Park.
Smith is also a recipient of four Emmy Awards, and she experienced somewhat of a career renaissance with Downton Abbey. The role of the Dowager Countess Violet Crawley in this period drama won her three Emmys, and she reprised it in two sequel films.
