The British actress, known for her roles in the "Harry Potter" films and "Downton Abbey", fell asleep at a hospital in London on Friday morning. Now she is being praised and her talent is being celebrated from all directions.
Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter in the film series about the wizard school, remembers her "sharp intellect" and her "fantastically sharp tongue that could offend and charm at the same time". For BBC, Radcliffe also describes her as extremely funny.
A Greatness
Emma Watson, who also played with Smith in the Harry Potter films, writes on Instagram that she didn't realize until adulthood that she had shared a scene with a legend and "the definition of greatness" and that she will miss her.
King Charles expresses his sorrow over Maggie Smith on the British royal family's Instagram account and calls her a "national treasure". Even the UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer uses the term national treasure and writes that her work will be appreciated by generations to come.
Hugh Bonneville, who played Earl of Grantham in the series "Downton Abbey", tells BBC that "Everyone who has ever shared a scene with Maggie can testify to her sharp gaze, sharp humor, and formidable talent".
Serious with Humor
Kristin Scott-Thomas, who played with Smith in the 2001 film "Gosford Park", tells BBC that "she took acting very seriously and saw through all the nonsense and rubbish. She had a humor that could make me burst out laughing".
Smith is counted among the finest British actresses of her generation and has been awarded two Oscars, among other things. She has also been awarded a Tony, three Golden Globes, and five Baftas. In 1990, she was also knighted with the title Dame Maggie Smith.
