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Legendary British actor Dame Maggie Smith, who won the hearts of movie-goers of all ages for her versatile roles and magnificent performances, passed away early this morning, September 27, 2024. Smith passed away in a hospital peacefully, surrounded by her family. She was aged 89 at the time of her death.
Dame Maggie Smith was best known for her prolific roles like Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter series and Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey. With a career spanning over half a century, Smith will continue to live on through her legacy.
Maggie Smith dies at 89
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The news of Maggie Smith's death was confirmed by her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens in a statement via publicist Clair Dobbs. They said:
“She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27 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.
The statement further said:
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, Smith grew up in Oxford and started acting at the city’s Playhouse theatre when she was a teenager. Throughout her career, she has been a recipient of many prestigious awards for the delivery of some of the most iconic performances.
Looking back at Smith's extraordinary career
Maggie Smith launched her illustrious career in 1952, when she was just 17 years old, with the role of Viola in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. She made her Broadway debut in 1956 and went on to star in numerous theater productions.
She received her first screen credit in 1959 with Nowhere to Go, which earned her the first of her 18 British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) nominations. Her role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie brought her the Academy Award for Best Actress and the BAFTA award as well in 1969. Smith was also awarded an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for California Suite in 1978.
Throughout her career, Maggie Smith was nominated for four more Academy Awards, won four more BAFTAs, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globes, and a Tony Award for her work.
Smith was well in demand even in the later years of her life. She gained a new audience when she essayed the role of Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter movie series. She even starred in films such as the 2022 big-screen spinoff Downton Abbey: A New Era and the 2023 movie The Miracle Club.
Maggie Smith was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire, the equivalent of a knight, in 1990.
