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The 89-year-old actor who starred as Professor McGonagall in the popular franchise, passed away in hospital on September 27, surrounded by loved ones.
In a statement to the Associated Press, Daniel recalled Dame Maggie’s kindness, warmth and intelligence:
“The first time I met Maggie Smith I was 9 years old and we were reading through scenes for David Copperfield, which was my first job. I knew virtually nothing about her other than that my parents were awestruck at the fact that I would be working with her. The other thing I knew about her was that she was a Dame, so the first thing I asked her when we met was ‘Would you like me to call you Dame?’ at which she laughed and said something to the effect of ‘Don’t be ridiculous!’”
His message continued, “I remember feeling nervous to meet her and then her putting me immediately at ease. She was incredibly kind to me on that shoot, and then I was lucky enough to go on working with her for another 10 years on the Harry Potter films. She was a fierce intellect, a gloriously sharp tongue, could intimidate and charm in the same instant and was, as everyone will tell you, extremely funny. I will always consider myself amazingly lucky to have been able to work with her, and to spend time around her on set.”
Daniel ended his message perfectly summarising how so many of us feel about her:
“The word legend is overused but if it applies to anyone in our industry then it applies to her. Thank you Maggie.”
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Earlier, Maggie’s sons, Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, confirmed the news of her passing to the BBC:
“It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith. She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days. We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”
In addition to playing Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter, Maggie was also known for her roles as Mother Superior in Sister Act and the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey.
She was 89.
(Feature Image Credits: Daniel Radcliffe photo by Lev Radin/Shutterstock.com; Dame Maggie Smith photo by LandMarkMedia/Shutterstock.com)
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