The legendary actress Maggie Smith, who won two Oscars during her incredible career, died on Friday in London. She was 89 years-old.
Smith Passes Away
Smith was known for playing many famous roles during her career. Most recently, she turned in popular performances as Minerva in the Harry Potter series of films, and Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey.
“It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith,” her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin said in a statement obtained by Variety. “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,” they continued. “She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother. 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.”
Smith’s History and Career
Born in Ilford, Essex on December 28, 1934, Smith began studying theater as a child at the Oxford Playhouse School. By 1952, Smith was appearing in stage productions at Oxford University, and she was discovered in one of them by the American producer Leonard Sillman. He asked her to join his Broadway variety show New Faces of 1956, with her being the only British person.
Smith’s theater career snowballed from there, and Hollywood soon took notice. She earned her first Oscar nomination for playing Desdemona in the 1965 film adaptation of Othello.
Smith won her first Oscar for the 1969 movie The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, taking home the coveted Best Actress award. She would ultimately score a total of six Oscar nominations, winning a second one for Best Supporting Actress for the 1978 film California Suite. Her final Oscar nomination came for 2001’s Gosford Park.
Despite her success, Smith was always humble about her acting career.
“I’ve won two Oscars and I still don’t begin to understand film acting,” she once said.
Smith’s Famous Later Roles
Among younger fans, Smith is best known for playing Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter movie series. When asked if she would miss filming the Harry Potter movies after she completed them, she said, “No, it was 10 years, and that’s a lot.”
Smith was also known to the masses for playing the sassy Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham, in the celebrated British TV series Downton Abbey. This role won Smith an incredible three Emmy Awards. One of Smith’s last movie roles was in 2022’s Downton Abbey: A New Era, in which her character Violet dies.
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Smith’s final film role was in 2023’s The Miracle Club alongside Kathy Bates and Laura Linney.
Smith was married to the actor Robert Stephens from 1967 until they divorced in 1975. She then married the screenwriter Beverly Cross, staying with him from 1975 until 1998.
It is known that the intensely private Smith battled breast cancer when she was 74, but she made a full recovery. No cause of death has been disclosed for her at this time. Smith is survived by the two sons that she shared with Stephens, and by many grandchildren.
Smith was a true legend, and there will never be another one like her. Rest in peace, Maggie Smith.
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