The Loss Of A Legend
On September 27, 2024, the news of Dame Maggie Smith's sad passing cast a mournful shadow over the acting world. She was an undeniable legend—but few know her incredible life story.
A Surprising Passion
Born on December 28, 1934, Maggie Smith spent her childhood in Oxford. However, her love of acting was shocking as neither of her parents were too invested in the arts or even frequented the theater.
Unknown Artist, Wikimedia Commons
Her Parents Had Other Plans For Her
Smith spent her childhood in Oxford, where her father worked as a lab technician at Oxford University.
Her mother—a secretary—always believed that her daughter might take after her, and end up in an administrative role. She couldn't have been more wrong.
Her Mother Didn't Think She Was Pretty Enough
Quite tragically, Smith's mother didn't believe she had what it took to be an actress at all—especially "with a face like that". Thankfully, she never let her mother's incredulity stop her from pursuing her dreams.
She Surprised Herself
In a 2019 interview, Smith shared, “Honest to God, I have no idea where the urge came from. It was such a ghastly time and we didn’t go to the theater. I got into terrible trouble once because the neighbors took me to the cinema on a Sunday".
Mike Lidgley, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
She Got Her Start In Shakespeare
Having caught the acting bug, Smith began honing her craft at the Oxford Playhouse when she was just 16.
The following year, she starred as Viola in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
In fact, Shakespeare would play a major role in her career.
Her First Oscar Nomination
Smith's role in Twelfth Night was only the beginning. She went on to perform in many Shakespeare productions and even received an Oscar nomination for her role in the film Othello.
However, her true feelings about the playwright Shakespeare may surprise some.
Evening Standard, Getty Images
She Didn't Consider Shakespeare Her Forté
Speaking with The Guardian, Smith confessed, "Shakespeare is not my thing". She was especially thrown out of her comfort zone during the filming of Othello, in which she played opposite the great Laurence Olivier.
On Working With Laurence Olivier
On working with Laurence Oliver, she commented, "I wanted to be a serious actress, but of course, that didn't really happen. I did Desdemona with great discomfort and was terrified all the time.
But then everyone was terrified of Larry".
She Was A Singer
Though she might be best known for dry comedic delivery and humorous expressions, Maggie Smith also dabbled in a very different kind of performance in her youth. Some may be surprised to learn that she often took on singing roles in revues.
She Was A Broadway Performer
However, in typical fashion, she often turned to self-deprecation to undermine her vocal talents.
Producer Leonard Sillman was so convinced of her skills, he led her straight to her 1956 Broadway debut in New Faces.
She later quipped, “I think Leonard was under this mad illusion that I could sing".
No Amount Of Self-Deprecation Could Mask Her Talent
Though Smith may have poked fun at her musical prowess, there's no denying that she could sing up a storm.
Broadway was just the tip of the iceberg, as the actress also had multiple appearances on The Carol Burnett Show where she sang her heart out.
However, there was one role that truly catapulted her to stardom.
She Took On A Life-Changing Role
In 1969, Maggie Smith took on the role of one of her most famous characters—a teacher named Jean Brodie in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. She was so spectacular in it that she nabbed the Academy Award for Best Actress.
But there was another special aspect to this role.
Twentieth Century, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
She Shared The Spotlight With Her Husband
In the film, Smith also acted alongside her first husband, co-star Robert Stephens. The couple had tied the knot two years before they acted together in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie—and they eventually welcomed two sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens.
However, they were not destined for a "happily ever after".
Twentieth Century, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
Her Husband Had Baggage
Reportedly, it was the formidable actor Laurence Olivier who'd issued a warning to Smith when her romance with Stephens first blossomed.
He came with some baggage: a failed marriage and another child. But instead of listening to Olivier, she threw caution to the wind.
Twentieth Century, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
He Drank Too Much
The actress later confessed that she had blinders on when it came to Stephens' nefarious habits—particularly his heavy drinking. However, in 1970, he did something so devastating, not even she could ignore the red flags.
Warner Bros., Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
She Felt "Hopeless" About Her Marriage
Smith's world plunged into darkness when her husband tried to take his own life in 1970.
This grim event really pulled his mental health issues to the forefront. It got to the point where she began to feel utterly "hopeless" about the whole situation.
Warner Bros., Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
He Cheated On Her
Discussing her first marriage, Smith has been quoted saying, "It got worse and then it went on getting worse and worse. In the end, it was destroying everybody.
She Had To Leave Him
Eventually, her husband's addiction problems became too much for her to bear—their marriage reached a breaking point in 1973. But this certainly didn't make her give up on love.
Stuart C. Wilson , Getty Images
She Married Again
In the spring of 1975, Smith divorced Stephens—and only months later, she did something that seemed quite scandalous. She married again. This time, the lucky beau was Alan Beverly Cross.
However, few know their heart-wrenching love story.
Everett Collection, Shutterstock
She'd Met Him Before
You see, the year of 1975 wasn't the first time Smith had met Cross. In fact, the two had met much earlier, back when Smith was just 18 and he was 21. There was an undeniable spark between the actress and the playwright—but there was just one problem.
He Asked Her To Wait For Him
Unfortunately, though chemistry brewed between Smith and Cross, he was still a married man.
However, this didn't stop him from asking for Smith's hand in marriage anyway. He wanted her to wait for him to get a divorce—but she ultimately chose to marry Stephens instead.
Little did she know, this wasn't the end of her love story with Cross.
Twentieth Century, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
She Finally Got Her Happy Ending
23 years after they first clapped eyes on one another, Smith returned to her old flame.
This time, she got the romantic ending she so deserved: "I'm remarkably fortunate. When you meet again someone you should have married in the first place, it's like a script. That kind of luck is too good to be true".
Twentieth Century, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
Her First Husband Disappeared From Her Life
Following her first divorce, it was Cross who stepped in as a father figure to Smith's two sons.
Tragically, Stephens completely cut ties with his former family, meaning he was absent from his boys' lives.
Twentieth Century, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
He Passed Too Soon
Maggie Smith and Alan Beverly Cross went on to have a very successful and loving marriage—but sadly, he passed in 1998. He was only 66 years old. Smith never truly moved on from the loss of her second husband.
She Missed Him For The Rest Of Her Life
Speaking about Cross, Smith once told The Guardian, "I still miss him so much it's ridiculous. People say it gets better but it doesn't. It just gets different, that's all". But that's not the most heartbreaking part.
Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
She Never Entertained Another Romance
So devoted was she to Cross, the actress just couldn't envision spending the rest of her life with another man.
It was a definite "No way". Why? Well, because nobody would be able to measure up to him. This decision, however, had its consequences.
Carnival Films, Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
Her Thoughts On Loneliness
During a 2013 episode of 60 Minutes, Smith addressed whether she was lonely or not. Her response was gut-wrenching: "It seems a bit pointless, going on on one's own and not having someone to share it with".
Carnival Films, Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
Harry Potter Changed Her Life
Perhaps the role that changed Maggie Smith's life forever was her part in the Harry Potter films. At 67 years old, she became a familiar face to the younger generations.
Carnival Films, Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
She Brought A Beloved Character To Life
Her pitch-perfect performance as Professor Minerva McGonagall in 2001's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone kicked off a new era for her, and she became a recurring character in all eight films.
Evening Standard, Getty Images
JK Rowling Chose Her
Reportedly, the author of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling, hand-picked Smith for the role of Professor McGonagall—the only casting choice she insisted upon. However, making these films wasn't always a walk in the park for the actress.
Warner Bros., Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
She Was Diagnosed With Cancer
In 2007, Smith had to face a terrifying diagnosis: mammary cancer. Upon finding the lump, she had been quite optimistic, assuming that it would be benign like a previous lump. Sadly, she was mistaken.
Warner Bros., Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
She Struggled With Treatment
She later confessed that her battle against cancer was extremely difficult: “You feel horribly sick.
I was holding on to railings, thinking, ‘I can’t do this'". But even in her darkest moments, the actress continued to show up for work.
Warner Bros., Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
She Wore A Wig On Set
On the set of The Half-Blood Prince, Smith wore a wig because she'd lost all her hair due to chemotherapy, describing herself as a "boiled egg". Though she managed to power through the last few Harry Potter films, her experience with cancer changed her outlook on work.
Warner Bros., Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
She Was Scared To Return To Acting
Following her treatment and recovery, Smith felt daunted by the prospect of acting—especially in theater: “I think it’s the age I was when it happened. It knocks you sideways.
It takes you longer to recover, you are not so resilient. I am fearful of the amount of energy one needs to be in a film or a play".
Carnival Films, Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
She Stole Scenes In Downtown Abbey
Though Maggie Smith may have felt discouraged by her health problems, she ended up taking on the part of yet another iconic character: the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley, in Downton Abbey.
She Swept The Awards
From 2010 to 2015, Smith injected her character with a fiery, hilarious stubbornness.
She did such a magnificent job that she won many awards: three Emmys, a Golden Globe, four Screen Actor Guild awards, and a Bafta.
BBC Films, The Lady in the Van (2015)
She Knew Daniel Radcliffe Before He Played Harry Potter
Though Maggie Smith worked with Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter, this wasn't the first time she'd worked with the actor. The two were actually co-stars in the 1999 show David Copperfield.
The End Of The Road
Sadly, on September 27, 2024, Dame Maggie Smith passed at the age of 89.
Her two sons, Toby Stephens and Chris Larki, made a poignant public statement about their late mother: “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".
Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
She Touched Everyone She Worked With
In the wake of her passing, countless stars have come forward to share their condolences and memories of Smith.
Daniel Radcliffe shared, “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.
The word 'legend' is overused but if it applies to anyone in our industry then it applies to her. Thank you, Maggie".
Everett Collection, Shutterstock
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