Maggie Smith, who played Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies, dies at 89

Maggie Smith has died at the age of 89, according to a report from The New York Times.

Smith's two sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, announced their mother died at a London hospital on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024.

We shared the statement from Smith's family, via Variety:

"It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith. She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days."

According to the report, her cause of death was not announced.

At Wizards and What Not, we know how much Smith meant and still means to the Wizarding World. Smith starred in all eight Harry Potter movies as Minerva McGonagall, the deputy headmistress, Transfiguration professor, and head of Gryffindor House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Smith's performance as Minerva McGonagall is iconic. Somehow, she brilliantly captured and portrayed the stern and rigid yet fiercely loyal and loving professor.

Smith's McGonagall is actually one of the first characters we meet in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone when she's waiting for Albus Dumbledore all day long at Number 4 Privet Drive. We learn so much about her in that scene, and that holds true through the next seven movies.

I don't know if there's anyone in the world who could have played that role in the way that Smith was able to. It's one of the reasons why McGonagall is such a beloved character and a crucial part of one of the most popular film franchises in history.

In addition to the Harry Potter movies, Smith had an incredible career, starring recently in Downton Abbey, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Lady in the Van, and more. Smith won an Oscar for her role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in 1969.

Right now, all eight of the Harry Potter movies are available to stream on MAX. According to TV Guide, there are no airings for the Harry Potter movies in the next two weeks, so the only place in the US to watch the Harry Potter movies via streaming is on MAX.