Dame Maggie Smith: An iconic figure on both stage and screen- Phoebe G
On Friday the 27th of September, Dame Maggie Smith, a woman known for her incredibly sharp wit and acting prowess, peacefully passed away, surrounded by close friends and family. Smith was remembered as “a true legend” in her field and “beloved by so many for her great talent”. Her death marks an end to an illustrious eight decade career; almost a lifetime dedicated to the arts.
Throughout her career, she has received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, five BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Primetime Emmys, five Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Tony Award. This marks her as one of only 14 actresses to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting (Academy, Emmy and Tony Awards). This outstanding contribution to both stage and screen showcases her impressive versatility as an actress, where her “comedic talent and sharpness were paired with real depth”.
Despite this success, Smith remained modest; she never took “a role lightly”. She would often “pac[e] around at rehearsals…while the rest of the cast was on a break” and merge “her own vivid personality” with those of her “charismatic” subjects. While being celebrated for her role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, she praised her co-star Pamela Franklin for being equally brilliant and deserving of recognition and herself had little time for celebrity, saying: “One went to school, one wanted to act, one started to act and one’s still acting.” Her eldest son, Chris Larkin said that she was “almost terrifyingly sanguine about critics, success, failure” and that she simply says “you can only do what you do.”
One of her fellow Downtown stars, Hugh Bonneville remembered her by her “famously waspish, razor-sharp intelligence and utterly instinctive comic timing”, alongside her ability to “turn to pathos and…to deep emotion in a heartbeat”. Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downtown Abbey called Maggie a “blessing” in his life who was “polite, precise and professional, always prepared, always meticulous”. This unwavering focus on her craft has led many to believe that Smith lightly wore the role of national treasure.
When asked to define the appeal of acting she stated that she likes “the ephemeral thing about theatre, every performance is like a ghost- it’s there and then it’s gone.” Yet, I think that it’s safe to say that Dame Maggie’s performances are anything but ephemeral. Rather, they exude a sense of timelessness and will be remembered for years to come as examples of pure, authentic and unapologetic talent that only “comes along about every other generation”.
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