British actress Maggie Smith, known for her roles in the Harry Potter films and the Downton Abbey series, among others, has died at the age of 89, her family reported this Friday.
In a statement, her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin said that their mother “passed away peacefully” in the hospital on Friday morning.
“It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Lady Maggie Smith,” her two children wrote, referring to her by the title “Dame” she received from Queen Elizabeth II in 1990 and which is the female equivalent of “Sir.” “.
Actress Maggie Smith dies at 89 – Photo: Peter Nicholls
“She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27 September. She was a very private person and her friends and family were with her at the end. She leaves two children and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother,” they noted in the note.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital” in west London for their care and generosity during his final days, they added.
“We thank you all for your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy,” they stated in the note.
Born in 1934 in east London, Smith was a legend of British film and theater as well as television, winning two Oscars during her career, for ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ in 1970 and ‘California Suite’ in 1979.
During her long career of more than six decades, which began in 1952, the actress demonstrated her versatility in numerous very varied roles and was known especially for her comedic grace.
In recent years, she became famous among a younger audience with her role as Minerva McGonagall in the film saga of the wizard Harry Potter, a character that writer JK Rowling wanted her to play.