The disappearance of Maggie Smith, known for her roles as Professor McGonagall in the “Harry Potter” saga or Violet Crawley in “Downton Abbey”, saddens beyond borders. Tributes have been pouring in since the announcement of the death of the 89-year-old British actress on the morning of Friday September 27. “She died peacefully in hospital” surrounded by her loved ones, her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin said in a statement.
“She was real, honest, funny and full of humor”, Emma Watson
“Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe paid him a particularly touching tribute. The now 35-year-old actor knows Maggie Smith well, with whom he first appeared with at the age of 9 in the BBC mini-series “David Copperfield”. He owes her a lot since it was she who recommended him to play “Harry Potter” in the cinema.
“She was incredibly kind to me on that set,” remembers the actor. And then I had the chance to continue working with her for 10 years on films Harry Potter “. For him, “the word legend is overused, but if it applies to anyone in our industry, it’s her. Thanks Maggie,” he slips.
Emma Watson, aka Hermione Granger in the “Harry Potter” saga, also paid tribute to him. “When I was younger, I had no idea of the legend of Maggie – the woman I was lucky enough to share time with. It wasn’t until I became an adult that I appreciated having shared the screen with the true definition of greatness. She was real, honest, funny and full of humor. Maggie, there were a lot of male teachers and thank goodness you held your own. Thank you for your kindness. I’m going to miss you. »
The author of the saga, JK Rowling, who specifically asked to see Maggie Smith play in the adaptation of her books, also had a little word for the legend. “In a way, I thought she would live forever. RIP Dame Maggie Smith,” she wrote on her social media.
“Working with her was the greatest privilege of my career”
Away from Hogwarts, Maggie Smith has made a splash in recent years playing Lady Violet Crawley, the quick-witted matriarch of “Downton Abbey.” Hugh Bonneville, who played her son in the series, believes she was a “true legend of her generation”. “There was no one like Maggie. I feel extremely lucky to have known such a rebellious person,” Michelle Dockery, who played her granddaughter in the series, told the BBC. “She wasn’t looking for anyone to be afraid of her or impressed by her, she just wanted to be part of the gang,” adds Lesley Nicol, who played the cook.
For series creator and writer Julian Fellowes, “Maggie Smith was a truly wonderful actress and we were lucky enough to be part of the final act of her brilliant career.” “She was a pleasure to write for, subtle on many levels, intelligent, funny and heartbreaking. Working with her was the greatest privilege of my career, and I will never forget it,” he told Variety.
A “national treasure” for Charles III
Maggie Smith also left an indelible mark on her older colleagues. She was “a wonderful woman and a brilliant actress. I still can’t believe I had the chance to work with this unique woman,” writes Whoopi Goldberg, with whom she co-starred in “Sister Act.”
Final proof of his legend, King Charles III said he was “deeply saddened” to learn of the death of Maggie Smith, regretting the loss of a “national treasure” in a story published on Instagram. “We join (with Camilla) all those around the world who remember with the greatest admiration and affection her many excellent performances, and her warmth and spirit which shone through so well on stage and off. »
