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Maggie Smith, Star of ‘Downton Abbey,’ & ‘Harry Potter,’ Dead astatine 89
Stars are mourning the nonaccomplishment of 1 of Hollywood’s astir beloved legends.
Dame Maggie Smith, the two-time Oscar victor aboriginal known for her roles arsenic Violet Crawley successful Downton Abbey and arsenic Professor McGonagall successful the Harry Potter franchise, died Sept. 27, her household confirmed successful a connection to E! News. She was 89.
“It is with large sadness we person to denote the decease of Dame Maggie Smith,” the family—which includes her sons Chris Larkin, 57, and Toby Stephens, 55, whom she shared with ex hubby Robert Stephens—said successful a statement. “She passed distant peacefully successful infirmary aboriginal this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely backstage person, she was with friends and household astatine the end.”
In summation to her family, Maggie leaves down an untouchable legacy. And successful her implicit 70-year career—which saw her gain a Best Actress Oscar for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in 1970 and Best Supporting Actress astir a decennary aboriginal for California Suite—she played a portion successful immoderate of the astir iconic films of her time, similar Hook, and Gosford Park and Sister Act.
And pursuing her death, Whoopi Goldberg reflected connected their clip moving connected the second franchise together.
“Maggie Smith was a large pistillate and a superb actress,” Whoopi wrote successful a Sept. 27 Instagram post alongside a photograph of the brace successful the film. “I inactive can’t judge I was fortunate capable to enactment with the ‘one-of-a-kind.’ My heartfelt condolences spell retired to the family. RIP.”
Meanwhile, Rob Lowe—who starred alongside Maggie successful Suddenly, Last Summer—couldn't accidental capable bully things astir the mode she dominated the screen.
"Saddened to perceive Dame Maggie Smith has passed," Rob wrote connected X, formerly Twitter. "I had the unforgettable acquisition of moving with her; sharing a two-shot was similar being paired with a lion. She could devour anyone alive, and often did. But funny, and large company. And suffered nary fools. We volition ne'er spot another. God speed, Ms. Smith!"
And Maggie’s acting bequest touched galore extracurricular the industry, too. After all, the precocious 89-year-old—whose awesome resume besides includes signifier productions like Macbeth, Othello and Richard III —was granted dame presumption by the precocious Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to the arts.
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In 2014, the precocious queen honored Maggie further by making her a subordinate of the Order of the Companions of Honour, an grant constricted to 65 surviving radical “of distinction,” whose members astatine the clip besides included Stephen Hawking, who died successful 2018, and Ian McKellen.
The precocious queen wasn’t the lone 1 touched by Maggie’s art. In fact, the United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer besides remembered the actress.
"Dame Maggie Smith introduced america to caller worlds with the countless stories she acted implicit her agelong career," helium wrote successful a station shared to X, formerly Twitter Sept. 27. "She was beloved by truthful galore for her large talent, becoming a existent nationalist treasure whose enactment volition beryllium cherished for generations to come. Our thoughts are with her household and loved ones. May she remainder successful peace."
Keep speechmaking to spot each star’s tribute to Maggie.
Jaap Buitendijk/Focus/Kobal/Shutterstock
Michelle Dockery
“There was nary 1 rather similar Maggie," Michelle said successful a connection to The Hollywood Reporter. "I consciousness tremendously fortunate to person known specified a maverick. She volition beryllium profoundly missed and my thoughts are with her family.”
Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup for FOX/Shutterstock
Rob Lowe
"Saddened to perceive Dame Maggie Smith has passed," Rob, who shared the surface with Maggie successful the 90s, wrote successful an X, formerly Twitter, post. "I had the unforgettable acquisition of moving with her; sharing a two-shot was similar being paired with a lion. She could devour anyone alive, and often did. But funny, and large company. And suffered nary fools. We volition ne'er spot another. God speed, Ms. Smith!"
Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock
Whoopi Goldberg
"Maggie Smith was a large pistillate and a superb actress," Whoopi wrote successful an Instagram tribute. "I inactive can’t judge I was fortunate capable to enactment with the 'one-of-a-kind.' My heartfelt condolences spell retired to the family. RIP."
MJ Photos/BAFTA/Shutterstock
Hugh Bonneville
“Anyone who ever shared a country with Maggie volition attest to her crisp eye, crisp wit and formidable talent," Bonneville, who starred successful Downton Abbey alongside Maggie, said successful a connection to E! News. "She was a existent fable of her procreation and thankfully volition unrecorded connected successful truthful galore magnificent surface performances. My condolences to her boys and wider family.”
Paul Drinkwater/NBC
Julian Fellowes
"Maggie Smith was a genuinely large histrion and we were much than fortunate to beryllium portion of the past enactment successful her stellar career," the Downton Abbey creator said successful a connection to The Hollywood Reporter. "She was a joyousness to constitute for, subtle, many-layered, intelligent, comic and heart-breaking. Working with her has been the top privilege of my career, and I volition ne'er hide her.”
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Keir Starmer
The United Kingdom Prime Minister remembered the precocious histrion connected X, formerly Twitter, "She was beloved by truthful galore for her large talent, becoming a existent nationalist treasure whose enactment volition beryllium cherished for generations to come."
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