Maggie Smith, the actress best known for her roles in the “Harry Potter” film franchise and British drama “Downton Abbey,” died in London on Friday at the age of 89.
The news was confirmed by her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, who shared a statement with BBC on Friday morning.
“She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September,” the statement said.
“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,” it continued.
“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.”
Smith was born in England in 1934. She made her acting debut in 1952 playing Viola in “Twelfth Night,” then moved to film for a role in “Child in the House” (1956).
The actress had a career spanning more than 60 years and had appeared in more than 50 films, per People. Over that time, she won two Academy Awards for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” (1969) and “California Suite” (1978) and had four additional Oscar nominations. Smith also collected other accolades, winning four Golden Globes, five BAFTAs, a Tony, and was nominated for six Laurence Olivier Awards.
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Smith was best known for her roles as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the “Harry Potter” series and Dowager Countess Violet Crawley in “Downton Abbey.” The actress appeared in several other popular films, including “Hook” (1991), “Sister Act” (1992), “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit” (1993), and “The Secret Garden” (1993).
She spoke of reaching higher levels of fame than she felt comfortable with, thanks to her role in the hit BBC series. “It’s ridiculous,” she said during a conversation with Mark Lawson in 2017. “I led a perfectly normal life until ‘Downton Abbey.’ I’d go to theaters, I’d go to galleries, and things like that on my own. And now I can’t. And that’s, you know, awful.”
The star married actor Robert Stephens in 1967 and got divorced in 1975. They had two sons. She married playwright Beverley Cross in 1975 and was with him until he died in 1998, the outlet noted.
“Downton Abbey” co-star Hugh Bonneville shared his tribute, saying: “Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent. 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.”
