Photo: John Phillips/Getty Images for BFI
Former co-stars and famous fans are honoring Dame Maggie Smith in statements and social media tributes after her sons confirmed that the actress, beloved for decades of stage and screen roles, died “peacefully in hospital” today. She was 89. Daniel Radcliffe recalled Smith’s kindness to him when he met her at 9 years old for his acting debut, David Copperfield. The pair were reunited as co-stars in a decade of Harry Potter films, which starred Smith as Professor McGonagall. “She was a fierce intellect, a gloriously sharp tongue, could intimidate and charm in the same instant and was, as everyone will tell you, extremely funny,” Radcliffe said in a statement shared with the Associated Press. “I will always consider myself amazingly lucky to have been able to work with her, and to spend time around her on set. The word legend is overused but if it applies to anyone in our industry then it applies to her. Thank you Maggie.”
Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes said in a statement to the AP that working with Smith was “the greatest privilege” of his career, describing the “truly great actress” as a “joy to write for, subtle, many-layered, intelligent, funny and heart-breaking.” Hugh Bonneville, who played the son of Smith’s Violet Crawley on the show, praised her “sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent” in a statement to the BBC, adding, “She was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances.” Below, find more tributes from those who worked with or admired Smith over the course of her generations-spanning career.
Somehow I thought she’d live forever.
RIP Dame Maggie Smith. pic.twitter.com/VogfvR9nIF
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 27, 2024
Saddened to hear Dame Maggie Smith has passed. I had the unforgettable experience of working with her; sharing a two-shot was like being paired with a lion. She could eat anyone alive, and often did. But funny, and great company. And suffered no fools. We will never see another.… pic.twitter.com/wjJCL7FqWf
— Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) September 27, 2024
Downton Abbey executive producer Gareth Neame, in a statement to Deadline:
“The entire cast and crew of Downton Abbey considered it an enormous honor to work with her, she was an actress of such stature whose incredible talent could encompass high comedy and full-blown tragedy. Off-screen she was particularly close to the cast who played the other members of her family and was very generous and full of encouragement for the younger actors. It is personally poignant that my late grandfather directed one of her finest performances in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie for which she won her first Academy Award. Jean Brodie and Violet Grantham are but two creations in an extraordinary career spanning decades and delighting audiences across the globe. There is only one Maggie Smith and she will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with her family.”
A message of condolence from His Majesty The King following the passing of Dame Maggie Smith. pic.twitter.com/SiKw8EEHva
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 27, 2024
Miriam Margolyes praised Smith as the “best of the best,” telling BBC News that her late Harry Potter co-star combined “ferocity, a glint of mischief, delight, and tenderness.” She also highlighted Smith’s “enormous courage” adding, “I’ve been in awe of her, as all her colleagues are.”
Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery, in a statement to Deadline:
“There was no one quite like Maggie. I feel tremendously lucky to have known such a maverick. She will be deeply missed and my thoughts are with her family.”
Dame Maggie Smith introduced us to new worlds with the countless stories she acted over her long career.
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…
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) September 27, 2024
A true British icon. Thank you for everything, Dame Maggie Smith. pic.twitter.com/FM3aQjv5Rq
— Downton Abbey (@DowntonAbbey) September 27, 2024
A grand star of screen and stage has departed. Maggie Smith, known most recently for her unforgettable roles as the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey and as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, passed away at age 89. Fans both old and young shall miss her dearly.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) September 27, 2024
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