She branched into film acting not long after in the late 1950s, her breakthrough role being in Othello in 1965. Just four years later she had won her first Academy Award for her role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and continued to entertain for nearly sixty more years until her final appearance in The Miracle Club in 2023.
Not many actors can say that their career has impacted upon multiple generations. Her role in productions such as Death on the Nile or Downton Abbey may interest a grandmother while her roles in the Nanny McPhee or Gnomeo and Juliet may interest their grandchild. Even classics such as Hook, Sister Act or Harry Potter, which have the power to connect families across the ages, feature in her repertoire, cementing her as an icon for many generations.
Possibly as real a star as one could be, and an icon for many, Maggie Smith died on the 27th of September... leaving behind an incredible legacy and over sixty films for us to remember her by.
It is no surprise that an actress of Smith’s calibre always knew that she wanted to be an actress. She summarised her life in four steps: “One went to school, one wanted to act, one started to act and one’s still acting”. She set out to achieve her goals by enrolling in the Oxford Playhouse School in 1951, being taught by Frank Shelley. She had moved to Oxford as a young child at the start of the Second World War due to her father’s, a public health pathologist, employment at Oxford University. Though she did not attend university herself, the university did still benefit her due to her involvement in its dramatic society.
A flurry of tributes highlighting her often-described humour and acting ability have been made since her death by many of her ex-co-stars and fans. The King himself described her as a “national treasure” while her Harry Potter co-stars honoured her for being “real, honest funny” (Emma Watson) and for being “as everyone will tell you, extremely funny.” (Daniel Radcliffe). Those close to her in her personal life also agreed with these descriptions; in a 2011 tribute written by her now late friend Illtyd Harrington draws upon this wit, recalling a gathering at Smith’s house with her guests shouting “More soup! More wine Mag!” to which she replied, “I’m a bloody star you lot.”.
Possibly as real a star as one could be, and an icon for many, Maggie Smith died on the 27th of September in London with her family by her side, leaving behind an incredible legacy and over sixty films for us to remember her by.
