Dame Maggie Smith, the two-time Oscar winning actress known for her charm and wit by many, passed away on Friday, Sept. 27, just two months shy of her 90th birthday.
Smith’s two sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, said in a joint statement that she passed away in a London hospital early Friday morning.
“She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother,” said Larkin and Stephens.
Smith was celebrated for her roles in films and TV series such as BBC’s “Downton Abbey,” the “Harry Potter” series and “Hook.” Starting out, the actress attended the Oxford Playhouse School between 1951 and 1953. She made her stage debut in 1953 in William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”
Smith went on to make her on-screen debut in 1956 as an unnamed party guest in the British drama “Child in the House” when she was only 22.
Throughout her nearly 70-year-long career, Smith earned 50 awards and 108 nominations, including two Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and Best Actress in a Supporting Role in “California Suite.” She also won numerous BAFTA Awards and Oliver Awards, reflecting on her status as one of the UK’s most leading actresses.
Many co-stars and fans have taken to social media to express their condolences and gratitude for the actress.
John Goebel, a freshman biology major at UNG, is an avid fan of the “Harry Potter” film series. “Growing up watching Harry Potter and seeing [Smith] on-screen was awesome because she was the honorary mom for a lot of us,” he shared. “Then, getting to see her in different films later on, her caliber and versatility in the world of acting was unmatched.”
Daniel Radcliffe, who met Smith when he was only 9 years old while working on the set of “David Copperfield,” said in an Instagram post, “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. I will always consider myself amazingly lucky to have been able to work with her and to spend time around her on set.”
Radcliffe went on to work alongside Smith for ten more years on the series “Harry Potter.”
“The word legend is overused, but if it applies to anyone in our industry, then it applies to her.” – Daniel Radcliffe, English actor
Actress, comedian and author Whoopi Goldberg also took to Instagram, sharing, “Maggie Smith was a great woman and a brilliant actress. I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to work with the ‘one-of-a-kind.’ My heartfelt condolences go out to the family… RIP.”
King Charles III and his wife are also mourning the loss as the pair took to X to express their condolences for the Dame. “As the curtain comes down on a national treasure, we join all those around the world in remembering with the fondest admiration and affection her many great performances and her warmth and wit that shone through both on and off the stage.”
Many other celebrities have also taken a moment to pay their respects to the actress, such as Bonnie Wright, George Takei and Hugh Bonneville.
