Actress Dame Maggie Smith Dies at 89

Actress Dame Maggie Smith Dies at 89

Renowned British actress Dame Maggie Smith, known for her work in film, television, and theatre, has died at 89.

Born on December 28, 1934, in Ilford, Essex, she trained at the Oxford Playhouse and began her career in the 1950s.

Smith gained prominence for her roles in films such as The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), for which she won her first Academy Award for Best Actress. She received a second Academy Award for her performance in California Suite (1978). 

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Her extensive filmography includes notable works like Harry Potter series, where she portrayed Professor Minerva McGonagall, and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011).

In television, she starred in the acclaimed series Downton Abbey as Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, earning her multiple Emmy Awards. Smith's stage career includes significant performances in plays by Shakespeare and in productions like A Delicate Balance.

Throughout her career, Smith has received numerous awards, including several BAFTA Awards, Olivier Awards, and a Tony Award. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1990 for her services to drama.

Maggie Smith's contributions to the arts have made her a respected figure in the entertainment industry.

“It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith,” her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin said in a statement provided to the BBC. “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.”