LONDON (AP) — Maggie Smith, the masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” in 1969 and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Friday. She was 89.
Smith’s sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, said in a statement that Smith died early Friday in a London hospital.
“She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother,” they said in a statement issued through publicist Clair Dobbs.
McGonagall was always my favorite professor… She imbued the stern English teacher with a gentle heart. Maggie Smith played that role phenomenally, right there with Richard Harris as Dumbledore.
Richard Harris’ Dumbledore was spot on. Their first scene together to open the films was perfection.
She was Harry’s mother at school basically, and so many other kids.
“I’ve always wanted to do that!”
Amazing actress, and best Transfiguration teacher.
Rest in peace.
I can’t get over what a star-studded cast the Harry Potter films had… Smith, Harris, Rickman, Oldman, Thewlis, Coltrane… I could go on. The child actors were so fortunate to have that experience and to meet and learn from such legends.
She was just so great in everything she did. She is one if these people that need an own Wikipedia article for her Awards because they are too many to list in the main entry.
Did you know she played grown Wendy Darling to Robin Williams’ Peter Pan in Hook?
And Phil Collins cameo’d as a police inspector
89 is a good age to reach. I had no idea she was in her 60s in Harry Potter.
True, she looked so much older.
Dame Maggie Smith was a gem in everything she was in. Her performances elevated every piece of media she performed in. I would watch movies just because she was in them, and I never regretted that. Today is truly a sad day. Rest in peace. She gave the world countless masterful performances and now the curtain has closed.
She was supposed to live forever. What happened?!?
Guess she couldn’t get ahold of Nicolas Flamel in time
Wasn’t she in Hook?
Yep, she was Wendy
“So, Peter… You’ve become a pirate!”
😭
Rest in peace, Countess.
Not really religious, but my first thought was, “i hope my mom gets to meet her on the other side.”
You bring your mother back to this world when you think of her. ♥️
fuuuuuck…
She was a great one who shall be missed. Guess it’s time for a memorial viewing of Murder by Death tonight.
Don’t forget Gosford Park!
This is such a loss!
I’ve loved her work for practically my entire life! I think I’ll watch Clash of the Titans tonight.
I think the first thing I remember seeing her in was Sister Act, where she played the unnamed Reverend Mother of the convent.
If you get a chance, she’s absolutely amazing in Gosford Park from 2001.
This was the inspiration for Downtown Abbey, btw
She had a beautiful long life. And her memory will live on through her art.
