Legendary Oscar-winning star Dame Maggie Smith dies at 89

Dame Maggie Smith, an incredible actor known for her award-winning performance in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” in 1969, passed away on Friday after gaining popularity in the 21st century for her roles as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films. Her age was 89.

In a statement, Smith’s sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, announced that Smith passed away in a London hospital on Friday morning.

“She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother,” they said in a statement issued through publicist Clair Dobbs.

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Smith was often seen as the top British actress of her era, alongside Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench, receiving numerous Academy Award nominations and winning several acting awards. Even in her older age, she continued to be sought after, although she expressed regret that opportunities were scarce in the “granny era.”

Maggie played Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter film series

Smith later described her roles as “a collection of odd characters,” which included Professor McGonagall. When questioned about why she accepted the role, she jokingly responded: “Harry Potter is my retirement plan.”

Richard Eyre, who helmed Smith in a TV adaptation of “Suddenly Last Summer,” described her as “the most intellectually astute actress I’ve collaborated with.” To outsmart Maggie Smith, you must wake up extremely early in the morning.

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Maggie won Oscar Award for her role in ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’

Maggie Smith in ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’

Maggie won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and the British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) in 1969 for her role as a dangerously charismatic Edinburgh schoolteacher in “Jean Brodie.”

She was also nominated for Academy Awards as a supporting actress in “Othello,” “Travels with My Aunt,” “Room with a View,” and “Gosford Park,” and won a BAFTA award for supporting actress in “Tea with Mussolini.” In 1990, she was awarded a Tony for her performance in “Lettice and Lovage” on stage.