Dame Maggie Smith, star of stage and screen, has died aged 89
Dame Maggie Smith has died at the age of 89.
The news was confirmed in a statement given by her two sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens. “She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September,” they 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
“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.”
A titan of the stage and screen, and a genuine national treasure, Smith was the recipient of two Academy Awards, one for her role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in 1970 and a second for California Suite in 1979. She was also nominated for four other Oscars.
She was named Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1990, joining contemporaries such as Dame Judy Dench and the late Diana Rigg.
Born in 1934, Smith had an illustrious career, starring in dozens of theatrical productions, TV shows and over 50 films, such as Gosford Park, A Room With a View and Othello.
She found a new generation of fans after playing the role of Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise.
In 2010, she took on the role of the indomitable Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, in Julian Fellowes’s period TV drama Downton Abbey. She reprised the role for two feature films, 2019’s Downton Abbey and its sequel, Downton Abbey: A New Era.
Smith was well known for her acerbic wit, something she brought to her numerous performances both on stage and on the screen.
In their statement, her sons said: “We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”
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