Maggie Smith, Harry Potter and Downton Abbey Star, Dead at 89
Maggie Smith, Star of ‘Downton Abbey,’ & ‘Harry Potter,’ Dead at 89
The wizarding world has lost an acting legend.
Maggie Smith—the award-winning actress known for her roles in the Harry Potter movies and the Downton Abbey franchise, among many other classics—passed away at 89, her family confirmed on Sept. 27.
“It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith,” the family shared in a statement to E! News. “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,” the statement continued, “who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.
A cause of death was not shared, but the family noted that Smith had been a patient at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in her final days.
Born Margaret Natalie Smith on Dec. 28, 1934, the star kicked off her decades-long acting career as a teen. While studying at Oxford Playhouse School, Smith appeared in numerous plays, including Twelfth Night and Cinderella. Her talents eventually took her to The Old Vic in London, where she caught the eye of actor-director Laurence Olivier and was invited to joined the Royal National Theatre company in 1963 as one of its inaugural members.
As a stage actor, Smith—who was made a dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990 for her contributions to the arts—held roles in productions of Macbeth, Anthony and Cleopatra, Richard III, Othello and Hedda Gabler. Her impressive theatrical accolades included a record-breaking six Evening Standard Theatre Awards—the oldest theatrical honor in the United Kingdom—and a Tony Award for 1990’s Lettice and Lovage.
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Outside of theater (a medium Smith told the Evening Standard was her “favorite”), the actress appeared in countless of beloved films, including Hook, Sister Act, Gosford Park, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. She received a Best Actress Oscar in 1969 for her titular role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for 1978’s California Suite.
Most notably, Smith starred in all eight Harry Potter movies as Professor Minerva McGonagall, a role she continued to play even while undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer in 2007.
“I was hairless,” she told The Times in 2009 of working throughout her cancer treatments. “I had no problem getting the wig on. I was like a boiled egg.”
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Though Smith recalled being “horribly sick” during the filming of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she said the experience showed her the meaning of resilience. “S–t happens,” she bluntly quipped to the publication. “I ought to pull myself together a bit.”
As for her TV career, Smith famously captured hearts as Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, on Downton Abbey. After winning three Emmys throughout the series’ six-season run, she reprised the role in the 2019 and 2022 film adaptations.
In addition to starring on the historical drama, Smith also made appearances on beloved TV movies such as My House in Umbria and Capturing Mary, as well as the BBC miniseries David Copperfield—which co-starred her Harry Potter castmate Daniel Radcliffe.
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And though Smith’s resumé boasted a plethora of prestigious honors, she kept out of the public spotlight and enjoyed a quiet private life. She was married to Robert Stephens—with whom she shares sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, both now working as actors—from 1967 to 1975 and playwright Beverley Cross from 1975 until his death in 1998.
When asked about if she had any interest in her celebrity status, Smith told CBS News in 2013, “Absolutely none. I mean, why would I?”
“I don’t feel any different to the way I felt before and I’m not quite sure what it means,” she continued, though noting that people do recognize her more on the street since Downton Abbey. “I am familiar to people now, which is what I was not before. That is entirely due to the television set.”
Often praised by friends and colleagues for her quick wit, Smith was also known for her humility despite her lengthy career. As she explained to The Telegraph in 2014, “Everything’s an icon. If you have been around long enough you are an icon. A rather dusty icon…or a national treasure.”
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Indeed, she was a true treasure.
“There was no one quite like Maggie,” Michelle Dockery said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “I feel tremendously lucky to have known such a maverick. She will be deeply missed and my thoughts are with her family.”
For more tributes, read on…
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Emma Watson
“When I was younger I had no idea of Maggie’s legend—the woman I was fortunate enough to share space with,” the Harry Potter actress—who played Hermione Granger in the film franchise—wrote on Instagram Story. “It is only as I’ve become an adult that I’ve come to appreciate that I shared the screen with a true definition of greatness.”
Emma added of her late costar, “She was real, honest, funn and self-honouring. Maggie, there were a lot of male professors and by God you held your own. Than you for all of your kindness. I’ll miss you.”
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Daniel Radcliffe
“The first time I met Maggie Smith I was 9 years old and we were reading through scenes for David Copperfield, which was my first job,” the Harry Potter alum detailed in a statement. “I knew virtually nothing about her other than that my parents were awestruck at the fact that I would be working with her. The other thing I knew about her was that she was a Dame, so the first thing I asked her when we met was ‘would you like me to call you Dame?’ at which she laughed and said something to the effect of ‘don’t be ridiculous!'”
Daniel went on to detail his lengthy on-set relationship with the beloved star.
“I remember feeling nervous to meet her and then her putting me immediately at ease,” he added. “She was incredibly kind to me on that shoot, and then I was lucky enough to go on working with her for another 10 years on the Harry Potter films. 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. The word legend is overused but if it applies to anyone in our industry then it applies to her. Thank you Maggie.”
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James Phelps
The actor, who played Fred Weasley in the Harry Potter saga, said it was “an honour to have been on the same set as Dame Maggie Smith.”
“On HP, she was always welcoming, funny and also showed how to act no just on set, but off too,” he added in a statement shared on social media. “My thoughts are with her family at this sad time.”
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Kristin Scott Thomas
“So very, very sad to know she has gone,” the Godford Park star wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post. “She was a true inspiration. She took acting very seriously but saw through the nonsense and razzmatazz. She really didn’t want to deal with that. She had a sense of humour and wit that could reduce me to a blithering puddle of giggles. And she did not have patience with fools. So you had to be a bit careful. I absolutely adored her.”
Kristin went on to laud the late actress for her youthful spirit.
“Her performances and her personality,” Kristin continued. “Her comedic timing was perfection and her vulnerability when required was heartbreaking. The last time I saw her she was very cross about being old. ‘Maddening’ I think she said. Much loved , much admired and irreplaceable. Rest in Peace dearest Maggie. Dame Maggie Smith.”
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Michelle Dockery
“There was no one quite like Maggie,” Michelle said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “I feel tremendously lucky to have known such a maverick. She will be deeply missed and my thoughts are with her family.”
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Sandra Bullock
The Oscar winner reflected on her time filming 2002’s Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, telling People, “How lucky am I to have sat in quiet corners with Maggie and a glass of wine.”
She added, “Her stories, her wicked sense of humor and her gentle advice are all things that have made my life sweeter.”
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Rob Lowe
“Saddened to hear Dame Maggie Smith has passed,” Rob—who shared the screen with Maggie in the 90s—wrote in on X (formerly Twitter). “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. God speed, Ms. Smith!”
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Whoopi Goldberg
“Maggie Smith was a great woman and a brilliant actress,” the Sister Act star wrote in an Instagram tribute. “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.”
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Hugh Bonneville
“Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent,” the Downton Abbey actor said in a statement to E! News. “She was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances. My condolences to her boys and wider family.”
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Julian Fellowes
“Maggie Smith was a truly great actress and we were more than fortunate to be part of the last act in her stellar career,” the Downton Abbey creator said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “She was a joy to write for, subtle, many-layered, intelligent, funny and heart-breaking. Working with her has been the greatest privilege of my career, and I will never forget her.”
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Keir Starmer
The United Kingdom Prime Minister remembered the late actress on X, formerly Twitter, “She was beloved by so many for her great talent, becoming a true national treasure whose work will be cherished for generations to come.”
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