Legendary actress Dame Maggie Smith has died in hospital at the age of 89.
In a statement issued via their publicist, the two-times Oscar winner’s sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens said on Friday: “It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith.
“She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th 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.
“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.”
Dame Maggie was regarded as the preeminent British actress of a generation, which included her fellow dames Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench.
Born in 1934, Smith grew up in Oxford and began acting at the city’s Playhouse theatre as a teenager.
While her career began on stage, the big screen soon beckoned and she gained her first Bafta nomination in the 1958 melodrama, Nowhere to Go.
After starring in Peter Shaffer’s stage double bill The Private Ear and The Public Eye, she was invited by Olivier to join the nascent National Theatre company in 1962, for whom she appeared in a string of productions, including as Desdemona to Olivier’s Othello in his notorious blackface production in 1964.
Two years later, it was made into a film with the original cast, with Dame Maggie being nominated for an Oscar.
In 1970, she won a best actress Oscar for 1969’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, the adaptation of the Muriel Spark novel about the Edinburgh schoolteacher with an admiration for Mussolini.
She then added a supporting actress Academy Award for California Suite in 1978.
The star appeared as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, appearing between 2001 and 2011 in every instalment apart from Deathly Hallows Part 1.
One of her most impactful roles was as the Dowager Countess of Grantham in period drama Downton Abbey. Dame Maggie starred in six series on TV between 2010 and 2015 and reprised the role in two standalone cinema films, released in 2019 and 2022.
Her extensive movie credits also included A Room With a View (1986), Sister Act (1992) and its sequel Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit, Gosford Park (2001), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) and 2015’s The Lady in the Van, Alan Bennett’s memoir about the woman who lived on his driveway which she first performed on stage in 1999.
Dame Maggie was married twice: to fellow actor Robert Stephens between 1967 and 1975, and Beverley Cross between 1975 and his death in 1998.
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…
We're saddened to hear that actor Dame Maggie Smith, best known for the Harry Potter films and Downton Abbey, has died at the age of 89.
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) September 27, 2024
Dame Maggie was a legend of British stage and screen, winning five BAFTAs as well as a BAFTA Special Award and BAFTA Fellowship during her… pic.twitter.com/YxQs4GAdCp
Following the sad news, fans and friends have taken to social media with tributes to the two-time Oscar winner.
Hugh Bonneville, who starred alongside Dame Maggie in Downton Abbey, called her a “true legend of her generation”.
“Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent,” he told the BBC. He said her “magnificent” screen performances will live on.
Prime Minister Keir Stammer honoured “national treasure” Dame Maggie also, calling her a "beloved" and "cherished" actor.
“Dame Maggie Smith introduced us to new worlds with the countless stories she acted over her long career,” he shared on X.
“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 loved ones. May she rest in peace.”
In a statement, a group representing West End theatres said they would dim their lights for 2 minutes at 7pm on Tuesday October 1 in the icon’s memory.
Hannah Essex, Co-CEO of the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, said: “Today the theatre world, and the nation, have lost an icon.
“Throughout her seventy-one years on stage and screen, Dame Maggie Smith was a magnificent talent and will be remembered as one of the most significant performers British theatre has ever seen.
“Our deepest condolences are with her family and loved ones, and we are proud to be able to honour her remarkable career in some small way.”
