LONDON, UK – Celebrated British actress Maggie Smith has passed away at 89 after a distinguished acting career that spanned stage, film, and television, earning her numerous accolades including two Oscars and eight BAFTAs. Her sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, confirmed her death, stating she “passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27 September.”
Born in 1934, Smith began her acting career as a teenager in the Oxford Playhouse theatre. She joined the National Theatre company in 1962, performing in several productions, including Desdemona to Laurence Olivier’s Othello in 1964. Smith’s major film breakthrough came in 1969 with the lead role in the film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,” earning her a best actress Oscar. She secured another Oscar win for “California Suite” in 1979.
The actress also shined in non-comedic roles, receiving critical acclaim with a Best Actress BAFTA for “The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne” and playing the title role in Ingmar Bergman’s 1970 production of “Hedda Gabler.”
Reaching a broader audience in the 21st century, Smith played a pivotal role as Minerva McGonagall in the ubiquitous “Harry Potter” film series and Countess of Grantham in TV show “Downton Abbey” and its subsequent film spin-offs. Her last major role was in “The Lady in the Van,” written by her long-time collaborator Alan Bennett.
Smith was married twice, first to actor Robert Stephens and later to Beverley Cross until he passed away in 1998.