Dame Maggie Smith, the celebrated British actress, has died. She was 89.
Smith’s death was confirmed by her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin. In a statement shared with UK media, they said: “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 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. We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”
Smith was one of the finest British screen and stage stars of her generation and will be remembered for her performances in iconic films and TV shows, including Harry Potter and Downton Abbey.
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She featured as the formidable Professor McGonagall in the Potter movie series, heading the Gryffindor House and serving as deputy headmistress to Albus Dumbledore.
In Downton Abbey, she was the waspish Violet Crawley, who often delivered some of the best lines in Julian Fellowes’ lavish period drama about English aristocrats.
Smith won two Oscars during a career that spanned many decades. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie delivered her first Academy Award in 1970, while she repeated the trick nine years later in California Suite.
Born in 1934, Smith began treading the boards at Oxford’s Playhouse theatre as a teenager. Her impressive body of work also included Sister Act, Gosford Park, and The Lady in the Van.
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