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Dame Maggie Smith was an exceptionally adaptable actress known for her diverse roles, which spanned from Shakespeare to the realms of Harry Potter and Downton Abbey.
She received her first Academy Award for The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie in 1969, subsequently accumulating numerous Golden Globes and BAFTAs during her extensive career.
Dame Maggie, who has passed away at the age of 89, was part of a talented generation of actresses that included Judi Dench and Vanessa Redgrave.
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Tributes pour in for acting legend who featured in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey
Born Margaret Natalie Smith in Ilford, eastern London, on December 28, 1934, she once succinctly summed up her existence: “One went to school, one desired to act, one commenced acting, and one is still acting.”
She was educated at Oxford High School for Girls and subsequently at the Oxford Playhouse School, which paved the way for a flourishing apprenticeship.
She adopted the name Maggie for her performances since another Margaret Smith existed in the theatre scene.
Dame Maggie made her stage debut at 18 in Twelfth Night and gained prominence as she performed in revues as a singer and dancer.
Her talents caught the attention of Laurence Olivier, who invited her to join the recently established National Theatre Company in London.
There, and at the Old Vic, she showcased her skills in both tragic and comedic roles, naming directors Ingmar Bergman and William Gaskill as significant influences.
Triumph in the film industry
Dame Maggie’s exceptional talents were promptly recognized in the film sector, where she initially occupied several supporting roles.
However, she later rose to prominence with her portrayal of the zealous teacher Jean Brodie in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie in 1969, which earned her an Oscar for best actress as well as a BAFTA.
She received a second Academy Award for her performance in California Suite in 1978, securing a best supporting actress accolade along with a Golden Globe.
In 1990, she was honored with a damehood by the late Queen.
A fresh wave of admirers from Harry Potter and Downton Abbey
Dame Maggie subsequently featured in Love, Pain and The Whole Damn Thing, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, and Gosford Park, which garnered her a sixth Academy Award nomination.
However, she was introduced to a completely new audience when she portrayed Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter series and Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, in Downton Abbey.
“I am incredibly thankful for my roles in [Harry] Potter and indeed Downton [Abbey], but they weren’t, shall we say, fulfilling,” she expressed to ES Magazine.
“I didn’t feel as though I was really acting in those projects.”
Her performance in the Downton Abbey series earned her three Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards.
When she was humorously asked why she accepted the Harry Potter role, she replied: “Harry Potter is my retirement fund.”
A multitude of accolades
Dame Maggie received a plethora of honors throughout her career, including for her roles in Tea with Mussolini, A Room with a View, A Private Function, and The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne.
One of her most acclaimed performances was in The Lady in the Van, the 2015 film adaptation of Alan Bennett’s memoirs.
Dame Maggie wed fellow actor Robert Stephens in 1967 and they welcomed two sons together before their divorce in 1975. That same year, she tied the knot with writer Beverley Cross, who passed away in 1998.
She is survived by two sons and five grandchildren “who are heartbroken by the loss of their remarkable mother and grandmother,” mentioned her sons in a statement.