The star of the Harry Potter films and "Downton Abbey" has died

Her sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, told The Guardian that the actress passed away surrounded by family on 27 September 2024.

Their statement read, "She passed away peacefully in hospital in the early hours of Friday morning, 27 September".

Smith was a person who preferred to keep her personal life in the shadows. In her final days, she was surrounded by close friends and family. She leaves behind two sons and five grandchildren who are grieving for their exceptional mother and grandmother.

We would like to thank the medical staff at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and kindness during her final days," the sons added.

Smith's career was graced with many roles, but audiences especially remembered her for her distinctive characters with witty lines, such as teacher Jean Brodie, for which she won an Academy Award. Her name is also associated with successful projects like "Gosford Park" and "A Room with a View." Equally important are her collaborations with playwright Alan Bennett, including the play and film The Lady in the Van. However, Maggie Smith has also been brilliant in dramatic roles. She played with legends such as Laurence Olivier and won awards for her roles in National Theatre productions.

Smith was born in Oxford in 1934. She began her acting career with theatrical productions at a local theatre, and made her film debut in 1958 in the thriller Nowhere to Go. In 1969, she starred in the film The Best Years of Miss Jean Brodie, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Smith was again nominated for an Oscar for her role in "Travelling with Auntie", and in 1979 she won it for her supporting role in "Hotel California".

In the 1980s, Smith went on to a successful career in theatre and film. She shone in "Private Function," "A Room with a View" and "The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearn," and played Virginia Woolf on stage. In 1999, she returned to the role that brought her late success, in The Lady in the Van.

For many modern audiences, Maggie Smith became a symbol of her time through her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film series. Her participation in the films lasted from 2001 to 2011, and this role brought her international recognition. She later won the hearts of the audience with the role of Countess Grantham in the series Downton Abbey, which she performed not only on television but also in two feature films released in 2019 and 2022.

Maggie Smith has left an indelible mark on the world of film and theatre, and her unique talent will live on in the hearts of fans around the world.