Maggie Smith
Birth Place: Ilford, Essex, ENGLAND
David Benson Will Bring MY LIFE WITH KENNETH WILLIAMS on Tour (Nov 14, 2025)
SHIRLEY VALENTINE Star Pauline Collins Passes Away at 85 (Nov 6, 2025)
Review: VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE at Cygnet Theatre (Oct 16, 2025)
BIO
Perhaps best known for her screen roles in the Harry Potter film series and Downton Abbey, Smith also had several stage credits to her name, and won a Tony Award in 1990.
Smith began her career on stage as a student, performing at the Oxford Playhouse in 1952, and made her professional debut on Broadway in New Faces of '56. For her work on the London stage, she has won a record six Best Actress Evening Standard Awards for The Private Ear and The Public Eye (both 1962), Hedda Gabler (1970), Virginia (1981), The Way of the World (1984), Three Tall Women (1994), and A German Life (2019). She received Tony Award nominations for Private Lives (1975) and Night and Day (1979), before winning the 1990 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for Lettice and Lovage.
She appeared in Stratford Shakespeare Festival productions of Antony and Cleopatra (1976) and Macbeth (1978), and West End productions of A Delicate Balance (1997) and The Breath of Life (2002). She received the Society of London Theatre Special Award in 2010. Additionally, Smith appeared as part of four seasons at the Stratford Festival in Ontario between 1976 and 1980, performing in The Way of the World, Antony and Cleopatra, Checkhov’s Three Sisters, The Guardsman, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, and Richard III. Watch some of her onstage roles.
On screen, Smith first drew praise for the crime film Nowhere to Go (1958), for which she received her first nomination for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award. She has won two Academy Awards, winning Best Actress for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) and Best Supporting Actress for California Suite (1978). She is one of only seven actresses to have won in both categories. She has won a record four BAFTA Awards for Best Actress, including for A Private Function (1984) and The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1988), a BAFTA Best Supporting Actress for Tea with Mussolini (1999), and three Golden Globe Awards. She received four other Oscar nominations for Othello (1965), Travels with My Aunt (1972), A Room with a View (1986), and Gosford Park (2001).
Smith played Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film series (2001–2011). Her other films include Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing (1973), Death on the Nile (1978), Clash of the Titans (1981), Evil Under the Sun (1982), Hook (1991), Sister Act (1992), Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993), The Secret Garden (1993), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012), and The Lady in the Van (2015). She won an Emmy Award in 2003 for My House in Umbria, to become one of the few actresses to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting.
Smith received newfound attention and international fame for her role as Violet Crawley in the British period drama Downton Abbey (2010–2015). The role earned her three Primetime Emmy Awards. Over the course of her career she has been the recipient of numerous honorary awards including the British Film Institute Fellowship in 1993, the BAFTA Fellowship in 1996, and the Society of London Theatre Special Award in 2010. Smith was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990.
She died in September 2024 at age 89.
Photos
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STAGE CREDITS
Awards and Nominations
winner
Maggie Smith
Maggie SmithThe Lady In The Van
Maggie SmithA Delicate Balance
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Maggie Smith Three Tall Women
Maggie SmithThe Importance Of Being Earnest
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Maggie SmithLettice & Lovage
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Maggie Smith, Lettice and Lovage
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Maggie Smith, Lettice and Lovage
Maggie SmithLettice And Lovage
Maggie SmithThe Way Of The World
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Maggie SmithThe Way of the World
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Maggie SmithVirginia
Maggie SmithVirginia
Maggie Smith, Night and Day
Maggie Smith, Private Lives
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Maggie Smith, Private Lives
Maggie Smith , Private Lives
winner
Maggie SmithHedda Gabler
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Maggie SmithThe Private Ear
winner
Maggie SmithThe Public Eye
Videos
Video: Dame Maggie Smith Discusses Career with Kathleen Turner in Final Recorded Interview
by Blair Ingenthron - 2024-10-05 09:09:06
VIDEO: Watch an Interview with DOWNTON ABBEY Writer Julian Fellowes on OPEN STUDIO WITH JARED BOWEN
by Sarah Leiber - 2019-10-02 19:11:39
VIDEO: Maggie Smith and Imelda Stanton Reunite in Clip from the DOWNTON ABBEY Film
by Kaitlin Milligan - 2019-08-30 10:08:31
VIDEO: Watch a Sneak Peek of the DOWNTON ABBEY Film in New Featurette
by Kaitlin Milligan - 2019-08-20 14:12:40
VIDEO: The Crawley Family Returns in the DOWNTON ABBEY Film Teaser
by Kaitlin Milligan - 2018-12-14 12:33:33
VIDEO: Watch the Trailer for TEA WITH THE DAMES Starring Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, and Joan Plowright
by Kaitlin Milligan - 2018-08-28 11:10:34
VIDEO: Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Najimy & Marc Shaiman Celebrate SISTER ACT's 25th Anniversary on THE VIEW
by Caryn Robbins - 2017-09-15 13:10:15
VIDEO: Watch 'Lost' Footage of Dame Maggie Smith in Early Production of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
by Caryn Robbins - 2016-10-05 10:32:49
VIDEO: THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW Now Available on iTunes; New Trailer!
by TV News Desk - 2016-05-17 16:17:56
VIDEO: Maggie Smith, Soon To Make Her First British Chat Show Appearance in 42 Years, In a 1973 Chat Show Appearance
by Michael Dale - 2015-10-14 16:25:47
VIDEO: Watch DOWNTON ABBEY Characters Get Their 'Uptown Funk' On in New Parody Music Video
by Sally Henry Fuller - 2015-03-07 09:58:12
VIDEO: First Look - Maggie Smith in All-New Trailer for SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
by Caryn Robbins - 2014-12-16 12:49:11
VIDEO: Kevin Kline Talks Israel Horovitz's MY OLD LADY on 'Today'
by Caryn Robbins - 2014-09-09 12:51:02
VIDEO: First Look - Richard Gere Joins the Cast of THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
by Caryn Robbins - 2014-08-07 13:18:53
VIDEO: New Trailer for Israel Horovitz's MY OLD LADY, Starring Maggie Smith and Kevin Kline
by Movies News Desk - 2014-07-14 20:36:50
TV Exclusive: Backstage with Richard Ridge - SAG Foundation Conversations Series with Tony Winner Andrea Martin- Part 2!
by Backstage With Richard Ridge - 2013-08-04 09:00:01
News
by Stephi Wild - Nov 14, 2025
In celebration of what would have been Kenneth Williams' 100th birthday on 22 February, 2026 David Benson revisits his classic performance in a new and revised version of the hit show.
by Josh Sharpe - Nov 6, 2025
BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that stage and screen actress Pauline Collins, who played the title role in the solo play Shirley Valentine, has passed away.
by ErinMarie Reiter - Oct 16, 2025
Christopher Durang’s “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” is a riotous blend of sibling rivalry, absurdist farce, and Chekhovian melancholy. A laugh-out-loud farce with real heart, Director Anthony Methvin finds balance in the absurdity while still landing the emotional punches.
by Stephi Wild - Oct 7, 2025
Experience Steven Spielberg's beloved HOOK in Concert at London's Eventim Apollo on December 20, 2025, featuring John Williams' iconic score.
by Josh Sharpe - Sep 11, 2025
This Friday, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will debut in theaters. Ahead of its release, critics have shared their thoughts on the conclusion of the beloved franchise. Find out what the critics are saying in our roundup here!
by Elliot Lanes - Aug 20, 2025
Today's subject Robert Sella is currently living his theatre life onstage at Round House Theatre as he prepares to begin performances of Matthew López's epic play The Inheritance. The show is performed in two parts and will begin performances on August 27th running through October 19th.
by Cheryl Markosky - Jul 7, 2025
It's a bold move for the Royal Shakespeare Company to slip in a remake of W Somerset Maugham's 1920s lesser-known comedy about infidelity in amongst more serious offerings like King Lear and Timon of Athens.
by A.A. Cristi - Jun 24, 2025
Babes With Blades Theatre Company’s (BWBTC) 2025 season opens with an extended run of its new works festival, the Fighting Words Festival, September 6 – 14 at the Bramble Arts Loft, 5545 N. Clark St, 2nd Floor.
by Lynn Beaver - Mar 26, 2025
Stage Austin presents the hysterical Christopher Durang comedy VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE from March 21st through April 8th at Sterling Stage Austin.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 24, 2025
A new production of PRIVATE LIVES by Noël Coward will be presented on Broadway in the 2026-2027 season. Learn more about PRIVATE LIVES and about the upcoming production.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 17, 2025
Babes With Blades Theatre Company's 2025 season will open with an extended run of its new works festival, collectively called Fighting Words. Learn more!
by Sherry Shameer Cohen - Feb 13, 2025
BroadwayWorld.com had a lovely chat with Anna Holbrook who is co-starring in Ken Ludwig’s Moon Over Buffalo at the Music Theatre of Connecticut.
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 5, 2025
Red Bull Theater has announced the cast for the next offering of Revelation Readings season: The Misanthrope by Molière, a version by Martin Crimp, directed by Marc Vietor.
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 25, 2025
Tickets are selling fast for Island City Stage's milestone production of Edward Albee's Pulitzer Prize-winning play A Delicate Balance. In response to popular demand, an additional show has been added on Wednesday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m.
by Kat Mokrynski - Jan 16, 2025
The RSC’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream has transferred from Stratford-upon-Avon to the Barbican Centre for the winter. Starring Mathew Baynton as Bottom, the Shakespeare comedy tells the tale of four young lovers from Athens who escape into a magical forest where they come face-to-face with the fairy world.
by Analisa Bell - Dec 24, 2024
Norm Lewis brought his signature charisma and warmth to 54 Below in a performance that left the audience thoroughly enchanted. This show was a true gift, one that will undoubtedly be remembered by everyone lucky enough to witness it!
by A.A. Cristi - Dec 21, 2024
Family secrets, friendship and loyalties drive the heart of Island City Stage's milestone production of Edward Albee's Pulitzer Prize-winning play A Delicate Balance, running January 16 – February 9.
by Stephi Wild - Dec 9, 2024
Harry Potter: The Exhibition's Boston run has been extended at CambridgeSide. The exhibition will now close in April 2025. Learn more about the new costumes on display here!
by Brett Cullum - Nov 29, 2024
I feel like this company, at this point in time, is simply happy to be here doing this show, and I can say the feeling is infectious. It’s not your typical holiday offering, but you can never be wrong with the wit of Christopher Durang and the magic of invoking the spirit of Maggie Smith. I’m thankful this season for companies like 4th WALL, which produce plays that offer the joy of what theater is all about.
by A.A. Cristi - Nov 22, 2024
DEATH BECOMES HER comes to life on Broadway tonight as it celebrates its opening at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in a production starring Tony Award nominees Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Christopher Sieber, and Grammy Award winner Michelle Williams. Did the critics fall under the spell of Broadway's most glamourous new musical? Find out below!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Maggie Smith has appeared on Broadway in 4 shows.
Maggie Smith has appeared on London's West End in 2 shows.
Maggie Smith's first West End show was Share My Lettuce which opened in 1957
Theatre Icon Award (Evening Standard Awards) for , Best Actress (Olivier Awards) for The Lady In The Van, Best Actress (Olivier Awards) for A Delicate Balance , Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress (Evening Standard Awards) for Three Tall Women, Best Comedy Performance (Olivier Awards) for The Importance Of Being Earnest, Best Actress - Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Lettice & Lovage , Best Actress - Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Lettice and Lovage, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Tony Awards) for Lettice and Lovage, Actress of the Year (Olivier Awards) for Lettice And Lovage, Comedy Performance of the Year (Olivier Awards) for The Way Of The World, Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress (Evening Standard Awards) for The Way of the World, Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress (Evening Standard Awards) for Virginia, Actress of the Year in a New Play (Olivier Awards) for Virginia, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Night and Day, Outstanding Actress - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Private Lives, Best Performance (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Private Lives, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Private Lives, Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress (Evening Standard Awards) for Hedda Gabler, Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress (Evening Standard Awards) for The Private Ear and Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress (Evening Standard Awards) for The Public Eye.
Maggie Smith has received numerous prestigious awards throughout her career. Her honors include the Theatre Icon Award from the Evening Standard Awards. She won the Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress at the Evening Standard Awards multiple times, for performances in Three Tall Women, The Way of the World, Virginia, Hedda Gabler, The Private Ear, and The Public Eye. Smith received the Best Actress - Play award from the Outer Critics Circle Awards for Lettice & Lovage, as well as Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical at the Tony Awards for Lettice and Lovage. Additionally, she was honored with the Best Performance award from the Outer Critics Circle Awards for Private Lives.
Videos