Maggie Smith, the Oscar-winning actress of the highest order for her leading role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in 1969, died on Friday at 89, according to her publicist. Her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens said she died early Friday in a London hospital. “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.
But for many millennials, Maggie Smith is most known for her character in Downton Abbey as the dowager Countess of Grantham, where she let the world have a great view of her sharp wit and memorable one-liners. In the Harry Potter series, her role as Professor McGonagall stole many hearts. Smith is among the few actors who achieved the triple crown in acting: two Oscars, four Emmys, and a Tony Award. Her illustrious career began on the stage back in the 1950s.
Smith was nominated for her first Academy Award in 1965 as Desdemona opposite Laurence Olivier in the title role of Othello. She then won the Oscar as an Edinburgh schoolmistress in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
Her second Oscar came for a supporting role in the 1978 comedy California Suite, a performance which co-star Michael Caine famously said was not just a standout but amounted to “grand larceny” in terms of stealing the film.
Critically acclaimed performances that came her way during her career include Smith as Lady Bracknell in Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest on the West End, 92-year-old fighting senility in Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women, and a memorable role in the 2001 black comedy Gosford Park.
In 1990, she was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II; thus, she became a Dame. Often, Maggie Smith was considered one of the preeminent British actresses of her generation, in company with such luminaries as Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench.
