Hearing about Dame Maggie Smith’s passing is truly heartbreaking. She’s been such a towering presence in film and television for decades. Her wit, grace, and ability to convey so much emotion with just a glance is unmatched. To celebrate her incredible legacy, let’s take a look at five of her best roles that have etched her into our hearts forever. These performances highlight just how versatile and extraordinary she was:
Professor Minerva McGonagall – Harry Potter Series
For an entire generation, Dame Maggie Smith will always be remembered as Professor McGonagall. From the very first film, her portrayal of the stern but deeply caring Hogwarts professor became iconic. She balanced discipline with warmth, always keeping Harry and his friends in line but with a knowing wink that said she had their best interests at heart. Maggie brought such gravitas to the role, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else in that pointy hat, turning into a cat, and defending Hogwarts so fiercely. She even continued filming through illness, showing the strength and commitment that defined her career.
Violet Crawley – Downton Abbey
Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey is perhaps one of the greatest gifts she gave to television. Her witty one-liners, delivered with perfect timing and dripping with dry humor, are legendary. Whether it was her arched eyebrow or cutting remarks, Violet Crawley became a beloved character not just because of her sharp tongue, but also her underlying affection for her family and the changing world around her. Maggie’s portrayal showed both the rigid traditionalist side of the aristocracy and the surprisingly adaptable, soft-hearted woman beneath. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth watching just for her zingers alone!
Jean Brodie – The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
This is one of Maggie’s earlier performances, and it’s the role that won her her first Academy Award for Best Actress. In The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, she plays a charismatic and unconventional schoolteacher in 1930s Edinburgh, whose influence on her students goes beyond the classroom. Maggie’s portrayal of Jean Brodie is captivating; she’s fiercely passionate, sometimes to a fault, and her beliefs begin to have darker consequences. It’s a complex role, and Maggie delivered it with such intensity and depth that it still stands out as one of her career-defining moments.
Miss Shepherd – The Lady in the Van (2015)
One of the more recent gems in Maggie’s career is her role as Miss Shepherd in The Lady in the Van. Based on a true story, she plays a homeless woman who lives in a van parked in a playwright’s driveway for 15 years. This film beautifully showcases Maggie’s ability to blend comedy and drama. Miss Shepherd is eccentric, stubborn, and full of mystery, but Maggie portrays her with such empathy that you can’t help but feel for this difficult, proud woman. It’s one of those performances where you laugh, cry, and feel deeply all at once – pure Maggie magic.
Mother Superior – Sister Act (1992)
Though Sister Act is a feel-good comedy, Maggie Smith’s role as the no-nonsense Mother Superior is unforgettable. While the movie is all about Whoopi Goldberg’s wild and lovable character, Maggie holds her own as the stern head of the convent. She delivers some of the film’s best deadpan humor, keeping her composure even as chaos unfolds. What’s brilliant about her in Sister Act is her ability to add just the right amount of seriousness to a fun, light-hearted film, reminding us that Maggie could do comedy just as effortlessly as drama.
Dame Maggie Smith has always been more than just an actress; she’s been a true icon. With over 70 years in the industry, she’s left behind a legacy of characters that will continue to make us laugh, cry, and think for many years to come. She brought such depth, wit, and charm to every role she played, whether she was commanding the screen in a historical drama or delivering zingers in a comedy.
In celebrating her life, we can take comfort in knowing that her work will live on, giving us endless opportunities to revisit her talent and remember what a truly remarkable woman she was. If you haven’t had the chance to see some of these roles, it’s the perfect time to curl up with a cup of tea and spend some time with Maggie. She will be dearly missed, but her magic will always be with us.
