Dame Maggie Smith, the British film and stage actress, best known for her roles in film Harry Potter Franchises and so on Downton Abbeydied on September 27th at the age of 89.

In a storied career that began at the Oxford Playhouse at the age of 17, the late actress won two Oscars, a Tony Award, four Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes, five Screen Actors Guild Awards and five BAFTA Awards. In 1990, she received the title of “Dame” from Queen Elizabeth II for her services as an actress.

Smith’s career in entertainment has been one of impressive longevity, especially for an actress, as we’ve always heard that roles for women dry up at a certain age. After establishing herself as a stage actress in Britain, she conquered Hollywood and won Oscars in 1970 (The heyday of Miss Jean Brodie) and 1979 (California Suite) and was nominated four more times between 1966 (Othello) and 2002 (Gosford Park).

But the real superstar was yet to come, thanks to her portrayal of Professor Minerva McGonagall, the steely, spellcasting (“Piertotum locomotor!”) head of Gryffindor House.

Smith was 67 the first year Harry Potter The film was released in cinemas in 2001 and was featured in seven of the eight blockbuster films in the series until 2011. With Potter mania being what it was – and still is – this role brought her worldwide recognition. A whole new generation was introduced to their work. In her 70s, she became a wand-waving rock star.

Incredibly, Smith then landed another career-boosting role as Violet Crawley Downton Abbeythe British historical drama that ran from 2010 to 2015. The Dowager Countess of Grantham – the dysfunctional family’s senior matriarch – was the queen of stinging one-liners, delivered with an unforgettable scowl.

Her role propelled her into the social media stratosphere in her late 70s. Countless memes have been created using images of her character, remembering something Violet might say. Think, “Young man, I’m not in the mood for Netflix and chill.”

Smith appeared in the first two feature films in the TV series: Downton Abbey (2019) and Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022). While a third film is in the works, the second ended with her character’s death.

“Nobody knew who the hell I was” until “Downton.”,‘ she said

In Smith’s reflections on her career, she talked about how Downton Abbey has changed everything when it comes to public recognition and fame.

“I had led a completely normal life until then Downton Abbey” she told the British Film Institute in 2017. “I’m not kidding. I would go to the theater, I would go to galleries… alone – and now I can’t do it anymore.”

She said: “It really is television. I’ve been working with it for a very long time Downton Abbey. Life was fine. Nobody knew who the hell I was. It’s changed.”

Smith told NPR in 2016 that she found it “very strange to be recognized.” I spent a very long time trying to prevent this from happening to me. And it’s a very, very strange feeling.”

She admitted that sometimes it’s “very nice,” but “sometimes you just want to… do things on your own without thinking about whether you’re going to be followed or asked to pose for one of those miserable cell phone things.”

That’s because it’s different potterwhich everyone expected to be a hit franchise, Downton Abbey’The network’s success “surprised everyone,” Smith told NPR.

She attributed the popularity of her character Violet to the lines of show creator/co-writer Julian Fellowes, she said in the same interview.

“She stuck to her principles the way she lived,” Smith said of her character. “She could see what was going on better than a lot of other people. She was a wise old bird. She had been there and done that and gotten the T-shirt.”

As for Smith’s own career, she attributed it to competing against the young vixen early on as a character actor.

“God knows it must be nice to be beautiful, but that’s really hard to lose,” she told NPR. “But when you’ve been around character actors all your life, the transition is easy. You just go from one to the other and suddenly you realize, ‘Oh, I see I’m someone’s mother this time.’ And I’m someone’s grandmother.'”

Smith’s family announced her death

On September 27, Smith’s sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin confirmed her death.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith,” said her family’s statement via publicist Clair Dobbs.

“She died peacefully in hospital this morning,” it continued. “She was an extremely private person and was with friends and family at the end.” She leaves behind two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.

They thanked the staff at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital “for their care and tireless kindness during her final days.”

Following the news, Smith’s Downton Abbey Co-stars led the tributes.

Hugh Bonneville, who played her son, called her “a true legend of her generation.” Michelle Dockery, who played her granddaughter Lady Mary Crawley, said: “There was no one like Maggie. I feel incredibly lucky to have known such an outsider. She will be missed very much and my thoughts are with her family.”