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Image Source: WB Studios

Actress & Harry Potter Star Dame Maggie Smith Passes Away at Age 89

Actress Dame Maggie Smith, who’s best known for her role as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies and has been in other works like Downton Abbey, has passed away.

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According to her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, Smith passed away on Sept. 27, as reported by BBC.

“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.”

Both Stephens and Larkin went on to thank the staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for caring for Smith, as well as fans for their kind messages and support, though they also asked that their privacy be respected during this time.

Maggie Smith played Violet Crawley in Downtown Abbey, and was beloved for her sharp wit and quick remarks in that show. She is perhaps best known for her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies, though, where she was also often quick-witted and snarky with the students and teachers alike when needed. Smith was also knighted in 1990 by Queen Elizabeth II and became a Dame.


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Author
Image of Zhiqing Wan
Zhiqing Wan
Associate Editor
Zhiqing is a History undergrad from the National University of Singapore. She started playing video games in 1996 when her dad introduced her to Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, and Resident Evil -- and the rest, as they say, is history. When she's not obsessing over Elden Ring and Dark Souls lore theories, you can find her singing along loudly and badly to Taylor Swift's latest bops. Formerly the Reviews Editor at Twinfinite, she joined the Escapist team in 2024. You can reach her at [email protected].