Dame Maggie Smith — the British acting legend who shot to stardom with her Oscar-winning role in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and whose multi-decade career was capped by the “Harry Potter” movies and the hit series “Downton Abbey” — has died. She was 89.
Dame Maggie Smith — the British acting legend who shot to stardom with her Oscar-winning role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and whose multi-decade career was capped by the Harry Potter movies and the hit series Downton Abbey — has died. She was 89.
Her sons, actors Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, issued a statement to the BBC on Friday.
“It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith,” 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.”
Widely considered one of the greatest British actresses of both stage and screen, Maggie Smith tackled many of the most challenging theatrical roles ever written while juggling a movie and TV career that brought her two Academy Awards and three Emmys.
