Downton Abbey Cast Share Their Memories Of ‘Legend’ Maggie Smith In Touching Tributes

Tributes have begun pouring in for acting legend Dame Maggie Smith, following her death at the age of 89.

On Friday afternoon, the two-time Oscar winner’s sons issued a statement revealing the veteran performer and national treasure had died earlier that day at a hospital in London.

While Dame Maggie will be remembered for a variety of eclectic roles she played over the course of her decades-spanning career, in her later years, she was best remembered for her work in Downton Abbey.

Her performance as the Dowager Countess Violet Crawley in the hit period drama earned her no fewer than three Emmy wins, with her co-stars and colleagues among those to pay their respects on Friday.

Dame Maggie’s on-screen son Hugh Bonneville told Deadline: “Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent.

“She was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances. My condolences to her boys and wider family.”

Co-star Michelle Dockery also told the outlet: “There was no one quite like Maggie. I feel tremendously lucky to have known such a maverick. She will be deeply missed and my thoughts are with her family.”

Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has also paid his respects, saying: “Maggie Smith was a truly great actress and we were more than fortunate to be part of the last act in her stellar career.

“She was a joy to write for, subtle, many-layered, intelligent, funny and heart-breaking. Working with her has been the greatest privilege of my career, and I will never forget her.”

Dame Maggie’s on-screen career began in the late 1950s, with the British star landing her first Oscar nomination in 1969 for a movie adaptation of Othello.

Four years later, she would land her second nomination and first win for The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, with a second Oscar following in 1979 for California Suite.

Her other notable movie roles included the comedies Sister Act and The First Wives Club, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Lady in the Van and the Harry Potter series, in which she played Hogwarts professor Minerva McGonagall in all eight films.