This past weekend, the world lost Dame Maggie Smith, a prolific actress and British icon, at the age of 89. Many know her for her biggest roles as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise and Violet Crawley in the hit series Downton Abbey, yet Smith leaves behind an illustrious career spanning over seven decades. Her witty charm, wise demeanor, and strong onscreen presence bore both comedic and dramatic roles. We look back at these roles to celebrate the figure who spent a lifetime inspiring Hollywood and beyond.
Smith began her career in the 1950s, and soon after was nominated for her first Oscar as Desdemona in Shakespeare’s Othello in 1965. She proceeded to win two Oscars for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in 1970 and California Suite in 1979. If that were not enough accomplishments, her role in A Room with a View earned another Oscar nomination and a BAFTA in 1985.
In Tea With Mussolini, released in 1999, Smith played a posh English woman in the 1930s. Then as an emblem of her range and versatility, she played Reverend Mother in two Sister Act films.
Whoopi Goldberg reflected on her costar: “I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to work with the ‘one-of-a-kind’.”
That J.K. Rowling’s Professor McGonagall was not written for Maggie Smith is difficult to believe. Smith seamlessly brought the intimidating yet protective professor of Hogwarts to life throughout the eight-film series phenomenon. The three main characters of the franchise paid tribute to their beloved costar. “She was a fierce intellect, had a gloriously sharp tongue, could intimidate and charm in the same instant and was, as everyone will tell you, extremely funny,” said Daniel Radcliffe.
“The word legend is overused but if it applies to anyone in our industry then it applies to her. Thank you Maggie.”
Emma Watson shared on Instagram that Smith was a “true definition of greatness.”
“Maggie, there are a lot of male professors and by God you held your own,” Watson wrote.
Around the time of the Harry Potter films, before the Downton Abbey saga, there was the hit success of 2002 period piece Gosford Park, in which Smith earned yet another Oscar and Bafta nomination as the Dowager Countess of Trentham.
One dowager led to another when she played one of her most recognized roles, Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, in Downton Abbey. Through the show’s six seasons and two follow-up films, Smith was a beloved character with dry and witty one-liners that made the show the success it is today. As the grand matriarch of the family, some of the most memorable lines were about the trivialities of marriage: “I do think a woman’s place is eventually in the home, but I see no harm in her having some fun before she gets there” or “I know several couples who are perfectly happy. Haven’t spoken in years.” Julian Fellowes, the creator and writer of Downton Abbey, shared with Variety how Smith was “a joy to write for, subtle, many-layered, intelligent, funny and heart-breaking”.
Her on-screen royalty was realized by British royalty when she was honored as Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1990 and was then a Companion of Honour (CH) in 2014.
Though one of Hollywood’s most well-known actresses, Dame Maggie Smith led a private life with her family — meaningful accomplishments that transcended her career. She will be remembered for her talents, though she will be missed most for the humor, warmth, and comfort she brought those around her.
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