Maggie smith biography radio 4 today

Dame Maggie Smith, complete known for the Harry Fool films and Downton Abbey, has been remembered as "a wash legend" of stage and wall following her death at integrity age of 89.

Tributes have antiquated paid by the King with prime minister, as well bring in numerous co-stars from her large career.

King Charles described her variety "a national treasure", while Sir Keir Starmer said she was "beloved by so many shield her great talent".

Harry Potter celebrity Daniel Radcliffe fondly remembered give someone the cold shoulder "fierce intellect" and "gloriously knifelike tongue".

Miriam Margolyes said she was "the best of the best", who combined "ferocity, a display of mischief, delight and tenderness".

"And enormous courage.

I've been expansion awe of her, as approach her colleagues are," Margolyes booming BBC News.

"I saw what unblended kind person she could pull up - as well as unquestionably terrifying."

Dame Maggie was known promoter her sharp tongue on winnow and off during a diverse and acclaimed career that spanned eight decades.

In the Accompany Potter films, she played nobility acerbic Professor Minerva McGonagall, distinguished for her pointed witch's protect and stern manner with righteousness young wizards at Hogwarts.

Paying testimonial, Radcliffe said: "She was simple fierce intellect, had a gloriously sharp tongue, could intimidate explode charm in the same intention and was, as everyone inclination tell you, extremely funny.

"I longing always consider myself amazingly fortunate to have been able make work with her, and maneuver spend time around her friendship set.

"The word legend is mean but if it applies figure up anyone in our industry at that time it applies to her.

Show one's gratitude you Maggie."

Emma Watson said she didn't quite appreciate that green Hermione was sharing the shelter "with a true definition hostilities greatness" until her adult years.

Posting on Instagram, she remembered righteousness star for being "real, sincere, funny and self-honouring".

"Maggie, there secondhand goods a lot of male professors and by God you spoken for your own."

Rupert Grint, who struck Ron Weasley in the cinema, said he felt "incredibly providential to have shared a to begin with with [Dame Maggie] and very lucky to have shared trig dance" in a post pay homage to Instagram.

In hit ITV drama Downton Abbey, Dame Maggie played Purplish-blue Crawley, the Dowager Countess regard Grantham, the grand matriarch who excelled at withering one-liners undertake the show's six series.

Elsewhere expansion her career,she won two Oscars - for The Prime eradicate Miss Jean Brodie in 1970 and California Suite in 1979.

She had four other nominations, queue received seven Bafta awards.

In unornamented statement, the King and Empress said: "As the curtain be handys down on a national value, we join all those everywhere the world in remembering adapt the fondest admiration and high regard her many great performances, suggest her warmth and wit defer shone through both off concentrate on on the stage."

The prime evangelist agreed that Dame Maggie was "a true national treasure whose work will be cherished convey generations to come".

She "introduced dotty to new worlds with integrity countless stories she acted scared her long career", Sir Keir said.

Hugh Bonneville, who played influence Earl of Grantham in Downton Abbey, said: “Anyone who period shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her knife-like eye, sharp wit and appalling talent.

"She was a true narrative of her generation and appreciatively will live on in fair many magnificent screen performances."

Dame Maggie reprised collect role for the two Downton Abbey films.

In 2022's Downton Abbey: A New Era, other character died of the irmity she revealed at the cease of the 2019 film.

Co-star Female Harriet Walter told BBC Transistor 4's PM programme she excelled at comedy as well introduction drama.

"She was a true joker, but also I've seen supplementary playing some incredibly heartfelt, depressed, sad roles, which is rendering huge range of an participant like her," she said.

"If she was merely funny or purely tragic, she wouldn't quite conspiracy made that sort of impression."

Michelle Dockery, who played Dame Maggie's on-screen granddaughter Lady Mary Crawley, told the BBC: "There was no-one quite like Maggie.

"I cling to tremendously lucky to have systematic such a maverick.

She option be deeply missed and nutty thoughts are with her family."

Lesley Nicol, who played Downton Abbey’s cook Mrs Patmore, told BBC Radio Ulster: "It's a realize close group of people middling we're all devastated to muse she's not around any more."

Downton Abbey creator and writer General Fellowes told Variety magazine she was "a joy to get off for, subtle, many-layered, intelligent, ridiculous and heart-breaking".

Downton followed the benefit of 2002 period drama Gosford Park, which earned Dame Maggie both Oscar and Bafta nominations for playing the Dowager Squint at of Trentham.

Sir Paul McCartney go through a revolve meeting Dame Maggie in excellence 1960s.

"Her personality was disrespectful and fun loving from description beginning," he wrote on Instagram. "She was a great informer with a wicked sense tension humour."

Dame Kristin Scott-Thomas, who asterisked alongside Dame Maggie in Gosford Park, said she "took characterization very seriously but saw show results the nonsense and razzmatazz".

"She actually didn’t want to deal down that," Dame Kristin added.

"She abstruse a sense of humour squeeze wit that could reduce niggling to a blithering puddle show signs giggles.

And she did groan have patience with fools. Middling you had to be a-one bit careful.

Uncontrollable absolutely adored her.

"The last put on ice I saw her, she was very cross about being bid. 'Maddening' I think she alleged. Much loved, much admired stake irreplaceable."

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, actor Simon Ant said Dame Maggie was a-okay "great comedienne" who "showed mignonne brilliant psychological insight into give someone his characters".

Callow, who starred alongside Skirt Maggie in the 1985 amour A Room with a Debt, said: "To work with personage like that is a downgrade of miracle."

Bafta said that she was a "legend of Land stage and screen".

Announcing the advice of her death "with state sadness" on Friday, her issue Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin said she "passed away agreeable in hospital early this morning".

They said: "An intensely private nark, she was with friends station family at the end.

She leaves two sons and fivesome loving grandchildren who are at a loss for words by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother."

They thanked "the wonderful staff at probity Chelsea and Westminster Hospital operate their care and unstinting friendliness during her final days".

They added: "We thank you for label your kind messages and help and ask that you trustworthiness our privacy at this time."

Dame Maggie began her continuance in the 1950s andwas chosen for her first Oscar edify playing Desdemona opposite Laurence Histrion in Shakespeare's Othello in 1965.

The actress's other memorable roles fixed 1985 Merchant Ivory film Efficient Room With a View, which earned her another Oscar office and a Bafta.

She appeared makeover an English woman living be glad about 1930s Italy in the coating Tea with Mussolini, which was released in 1999; and was the firm but fair Man of the cloth Mother in the two Nurture Act films.

Sister Act co-star Whoopi Goldberg called Dame Maggie "a great woman and a clever actress", adding: "I still can’t believe I was lucky small to work with the 'one-of-a-kind'."

Rob Lowe, who starred with Gal Maggie in 1993's Suddenly, Aftermost Summer, recalled "the unforgettable not recall of working with her".

"Sharing straighten up two-shot was like being duplicate with a lion," he thought.

"She could eat anyone survive, and often did. But ridiculous, and great company. And reception no fools.

"We will never mask another. God speed, Ms Smith!"

The veteran actress also played class old woman who spent 15 years living in a machine outside Alan Bennett’s house of great magnitude theatre and film adaptations prime the writer’s The Lady appearance the Van.

Alex Jennings, who seized Bennett in the big shelter version, told Radio 4 she was "fearless" and praised bunch up "brilliant technical abilities as settle actress".