How many kids did Maggie Smith have? All about her children as Harry Potter legend dies aged 89

Oscar-winning actress Maggie Smith passed away on Friday, September 27, 2024, at 89. The news was further confirmed by her two children, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens in a statement that said Smith died peacefully in the hospital. The statement further read:

"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."

It also mentioned:

"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."

The late actress' family has requested privacy while they cope with the tragic loss. While her acting career began in theater, she received her first Bafta nomination back in 1958.

Born on December 28, 1934, in Essex, Maggie Smith became extremely popular after her roles in several movies over the years. She is perhaps best remembered for playing Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series. The late actor had two children- Chris and Toby, who are actors as well.

Maggie had Chris and Toby, with her first husband, Robert Stephens. Chris Larkin (57) had attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and is best known for playing Hermann Göring in the film Hitler: The Rise of Evil. He last acted in a movie named Widow Clicquot.

Born in 1969, Toby (55) who is also an actor, is known for his portrayal of Gustav Graves in the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day. He too got his training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He is known for playing roles in several other movies like Die Another Day and Space Cowboys.

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Everything to know about the life and career of Maggie Smith

Born as Margaret Natalie Smith, Maggie made her Broadway debut in New Faces of '56. Maggie won the Oscars for her performance in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and California Suite.

As a child, Maggie Smith attended Oxford High School, until she was 16. The actress then got admitted to Oxford Playhouse to study acting. In 1969, Maggie Smith was cast as a lead for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which was reportedly an adaptation of the novel by Muriel Spark.

In 1970, she received an Oscar for the movie. The same year, she became a part of Ingmar Bergman’s production of Ibsen’s play Hedda Gabler for the National Theatre in London’s West End.

The Evening Standard's Milton Shulman described Maggie's performance in the play as "haunt[ing] the stage like some giant portrait by Modigliani, her alabaster skin stretched tight with hidden anguish."

In 1973, Maggie Smith was nominated for best actress for the 1972 film Travels with My Aunt. Over the years, the late actress had been part of several movies. The list includes: Ladies In Lavender, Becoming Jane, The Miracle Club, Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey: A New Era, From Time to Time, and Tea with Mussolini, to name a few.

Social media platforms had been flooded with comments from fans who had expressed condolences to the grieving family of the late actress.