Maggie Smith, Iconic Actress of Harry Potter & Downton Abbey, Dies at 89

Dame Maggie Smith, the prolific, multi-award-winning British actress whose extraordinary career spanned decades, has passed away at the age of 89. She was best known for her roles in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, the Harry Potter series, and Downton Abbey. 

Smith's death was confirmed by her sons, Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin. In a heartfelt statement, they shared: "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."  They added, "We would like to take this opportunity 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."

Born in 1934 in Oxford, Smith began her acting career as a teenager at the city's Playhouse theatre. Her early career highlights include her breakout film role in the 1958 thriller Nowhere to Go, for which she received a BAFTA nomination, and a string of stage performances under Laurence Olivier at the National Theatre, including her portrayal of Desdemona in Olivier's controversial production of Othello.

Smith's versatility as an actress became widely recognized. While her gift for sharp-tongued comedy brought her many iconic roles, such as the Oscar-winning performance as Jean Brodie in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, she was equally adept in dramatic roles. From starring opposite Laurence Olivier to winning a BAFTA for The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne and leading a West End production of Hedda Gabler directed by Ingmar Bergman, Smith demonstrated remarkable range. She later earned critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for Travels with My Aunt and won a second Academy Award in 1979 for California Suite.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Smith maintained her reputation with memorable performances in films such as A Room With a View and Gosford Park, as well as her celebrated stage roles, including in Edna O'Brien's Virginia Woolf and Peter Shaffer's Lettice and Lovage. She continued her collaboration with Alan Bennett, appearing in his Talking Heads series and later in The Lady in the Van.

Her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise cemented her status as a beloved cultural figure, while her portrayal of the sharp-tongued Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, in Downton Abbey garnered her global admiration. Smith reprised the role in two Downton Abbey feature films, further endearing her to fans.

Smith was married twice, first to actor Robert Stephens, with whom she had two sons, between 1967 and 1975, and later to playwright Beverley Cross until his death in 1998.