LAST UPDATE | 43 mins ago
MAGGIE SMITH, THE Oscar-winning British actress best known for her roles in Downton Abbey and the Harry Potter films, has died at the age of 89.
Her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens said she died “peacefully” in hospital this morning.
In a statement issued via their publicist, they said: “It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith.
“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.
“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.”
Tributes to the acting legend have begun to pour in. The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, issued his respects in a post on X. “Dame Maggie Smith introduced us to new worlds with the countless stories she acted over her long career.
“She was beloved by so many for her great talent, becoming a true national treasure whose work will be cherished for generations to come,” he said.
Dame Maggie Smith introduced us to new worlds with the countless stories she acted over her long career.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) September 27, 2024
She was beloved by so many for her great talent, becoming a true national treasure whose work will be cherished for generations to come.
Our thoughts are with her family and…
Dan Stevens, who starred alongside Dame Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey, posted a tribute to Instagram, saying simply: “Truly one of The Greats. RIP.”
A legend of stage and screen, Smith’s acting career began in the theatre in the early 1950s before she went on to appear in films.
In 1958, she received her first Bafta nomination for her role in Nowhere to Go, her first screen credit.
In 1964, she starred as Desdemona opposite Laurence Olivier in Shakespeare’s Othello, at the National Theatre. Two years later, it was made into a film with the original cast, earning Smith her first Oscar nomination.
Her performance as the fanatical teacher Jean Brodie in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie in 1969 earned her international recognition and critical acclaim. She won the Best Actress Oscar in 1970 for her role in the film.
She won her second Academy Award in 1979 for her role in California Suite.
Her versatility saw Smith star in many notable films throughout her career, including Death on the Nile, Clash of the Titans, Hook, Sister Act, The Secret Garden and Gosford Park.
Her numerous awards also covered her performances in Tea With Mussolini, A Room With A View, A Private Function and The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearne.
One of her most famous roles was as a bag lady in The Lady In The Van, the 2015 adaptation of Alan Bennett’s memoirs.
Later in life, she won over Harry Potter fans when she appeared in the film series as the quick-witted, kind and formidable Professor Minerva McGonagall.
In 2010, she was central to the success of the ITV series Downton Abbey, in her Emmy-award winning role as the acerbic Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, which she continued to play on the big screen.
She recently starred in the 2022 film Downton Abbey: A New Era, where Violet’s health deteriorates and she dies in an emotional end to her character.
The next year, she appeared in The Miracle Club, which follows a group of women from Dublin who go on a pilgrimage to the French town of Lourdes.
She was made a dame in 1990 for services to the performing arts.
With reporting from Press Association
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