Dame Maggie Smith, the Harry Potter and Downton Abbey actress, has died at the age of 89, her family has announced.
A legend of British stage and screen, he won two Oscars in his career – for Miss Jean Brody’s Prime in 1970 and California Suit in 1979.
He received four nominations and won eight BAFTA awards.
Her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin said in a statement: “It is with great sadness that we must announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith.
“She passed away peacefully in hospital in the early hours of Friday, September 27. An intensely private person, she was finally surrounded by friends and family. She leaves behind two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of an extraordinary mother and grandmother. .
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and immeasurable kindness during his final days.
“We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”
Hugh Bonneville, who starred alongside Dame Maggie in Downton Abbey, paid tribute: “Anyone who has shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent.
“He was a true legend of his generation and will hopefully live on in many wonderful screen performances. My condolences to his boys and extended family.”
Her career began in drama, but she received her first BAFTA nomination for the 1958 melodrama, Nowhere to Go.
By 1963, she was offered the part of Desdemona by Laurence Olivier to star opposite her Othello at the National Theatre, and two years later, Smith was nominated for an Oscar and made into a film with the original cast.
