British actress Dame Maggie Smith passed away on Friday, September 27, 2024, at the age of 89, leaving fans, especially Potterheads, in deep sorrow. While Smith had a long and illustrious career in theater, film, and television, she is best known to a generation of fans for her portrayal of Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films.
From 2001 to 2011, Smith brought the magical McGonagall to life across all eight Harry Potter movies. In a 2015 interview with British TV host Graham Norton, Smith reflected on how playing McGonagall impacted her life, saying that “a lot of very small people” would come up to greet her, showing the unique connection she had with younger audiences.
Director Chris Columbus, who helmed the first two Harry Potter films, was immediately captivated by Smith when casting the role of McGonagall. In a YouTube interview from the early 2000s, he explained that Smith’s combination of warmth and authority was exactly what they needed for the character. “She had this real sense of warmth and heart, but at the same time, she could be intimidating,” Columbus recalled. “And that’s exactly what we needed for McGonagall.”
Columbus also shared a memorable moment from filming, recalling how Smith’s presence was so commanding during one of her early scenes where McGonagall is walking up the stairs that even the crew found her intimidating. “She was so smart and so brilliant, she just owned the scene.”
Beyond Harry Potter, Maggie Smith was known for her other iconic roles, including Violet Crawley in the Downton Abbey series and her Oscar-winning performances in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) and California Suite (1978). In 1990, she also won a Tony Award for her performance in Lettice and Lovage. That same year, she was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the arts.
Her passing marks the end of a remarkable career, but her legacy as a beloved figure in cinema and theater will live on.