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LONDON (AP) — Maggie Smith, the masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” in 1969 and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Friday. She was 89.

Smith’s sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, said in a statement that Smith 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 issued through publicist Clair Dobbs.

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[-] lennybird@lemmy.world 92 points 1 month ago

McGonagall was always my favorite professor... She imbued the stern English teacher with a gentle heart. Maggie Smith played that role phenomenally, right there with Richard Harris as Dumbledore.

[-] andyburke@fedia.io 36 points 1 month ago

Richard Harris' Dumbledore was spot on. Their first scene together to open the films was perfection.

She was Harry's mother at school basically, and so many other kids.

[-] TastyWheat@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago

"I've always wanted to do that!"

[-] Noite_Etion@lemmy.world 70 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Amazing actress, and best Transfiguration teacher.

Rest in peace.

[-] schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de 15 points 1 month ago

Cute cat too, but I suspect the cat she transformed into has probably already died

[-] Empricorn@feddit.nl 21 points 1 month ago

Thanks for cheering me up.

[-] Iheartcheese@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago
[-] Empricorn@feddit.nl 1 points 1 month ago

Of course! That was only a couple weeks ago...

[-] lennybird@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I can't get over what a star-studded cast the Harry Potter films had... Smith, Harris, Rickman, Oldman, Thewlis, Coltrane... I could go on. The child actors were so fortunate to have that experience and to meet and learn from such legends.

[-] norimee@lemmy.world 65 points 1 month ago

She was just so great in everything she did. She is one if these people that need an own Wikipedia article for her Awards because they are too many to list in the main entry.

Did you know she played grown Wendy Darling to Robin Williams' Peter Pan in Hook?

[-] FenrirIII@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

And Phil Collins cameo'd as a police inspector

[-] Omgarm@lemmy.world 32 points 1 month ago

89 is a good age to reach. I had no idea she was in her 60s in Harry Potter.

[-] Tikiporch@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

True, she looked so much older.

[-] Tinks@lemmy.world 31 points 1 month ago

Dame Maggie Smith was a gem in everything she was in. Her performances elevated every piece of media she performed in. I would watch movies just because she was in them, and I never regretted that. Today is truly a sad day. Rest in peace. She gave the world countless masterful performances and now the curtain has closed.

[-] negativenull@lemmy.world 28 points 1 month ago

She was supposed to live forever. What happened?!?

[-] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago

Guess she couldn't get ahold of Nicolas Flamel in time

[-] schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 1 month ago

That was Elizabeth II you are thinking of

[-] Fredselfish@lemmy.world 22 points 1 month ago
[-] punkaccountant@lemm.ee 21 points 1 month ago
[-] Zahille7@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

"So, Peter... You've become a pirate!"

[-] 2ugly2live@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago

Rest in peace, Countess.

[-] Today@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago

Not really religious, but my first thought was, "i hope my mom gets to meet her on the other side."

[-] thisbenzingring 10 points 1 month ago

You bring your mother back to this world when you think of her. ♥️

[-] ChicoSuave@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago

She was a great one who shall be missed. Guess it's time for a memorial viewing of Murder by Death tonight.

[-] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 month ago

Don't forget Gosford Park!

[-] kaitco@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago

This is such a loss!

I’ve loved her work for practically my entire life! I think I’ll watch Clash of the Titans tonight.

[-] mercano@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago

I think the first thing I remember seeing her in was Sister Act, where she played the unnamed Reverend Mother of the convent.

[-] suburban_hillbilly@lemmy.ml 14 points 1 month ago

fuuuuuck....

[-] carbonari_sandwich@lemm.ee 10 points 1 month ago

If you get a chance, she's absolutely amazing in Gosford Park from 2001.

[-] finley@lemm.ee 5 points 1 month ago

This was the inspiration for Downtown Abbey, btw

[-] circuitfarmer 8 points 1 month ago

She was wonderful in everything.

Perhaps it's just because maybe it was the first time I saw her, but I'll always associate her with the 1990s film "Hook". She played someone much older than she was at the time. "Peter, you've become a pirate."

She had a beautiful long life. And her memory will live on through her art.

[-] SreudianFlip@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 month ago

I worked for a woman this morning who had photos of Maggie all over her hallway, and I mentioned it of course. Smith worked with my client in 1970's in Stratford.

She went on about what a kind and thoughtful person she was to her colleagues and everyone in general. Very genuine, I was glad to hear, even after winning an Oscar.

[-] Empricorn@feddit.nl 4 points 1 month ago

Amazing actor. What a loss...

[-] TastyWheat@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago
[-] SassyRamen@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Fuck off YouTube, too soon!

[-] carl_dungeon@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago
this post was submitted on 27 Sep 2024
556 points (98.6% liked)

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