On Friday, Smith’s sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, launched the sad data of their mother’s loss of life in a assertion by means of her publicist, Clair Dobbs. Smith’s sons talked about she handed away in a London hospital on Friday morning, nonetheless didn’t share any future information.

“She leaves two sons and 5 loving grandchildren who’re devastated by the lack of their extraordinary mom and grandmother,” Larkin and Stephens added.

The official Harry Potter Instagram account shared a heartfelt assertion, writing, “Dame Maggie Smith was a shining pressure as Professor McGonagall in all eight Harry Potter movies. We’re so saddened to listen to of her passing right this moment, aged 89. Her fast wit and formidable presence because the Head of Gryffindor Home made positive Hogwarts was all the time in protected fingers.”

Smith’s legendary occupation spanned over seven a few years, with fairly a number of roles in film and television, and on-stage in theater productions. A couple of of her most notable film roles embrace Othello (1965), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), California Suite (1978), Dying on the Nile (1978), A Room with a View (1985), Hook (1991), Sister Act (1992), The Finest Unique Marigold Lodge (2012), and inside the eight Harry Potter films from 2011 to 2011, whereby she carried out Professor Minerva McGonagall.

As for television, Smith was most interesting recognized for her place as Violet Crawley inside the interval drama Downton Abbey, which ran from 2010 to 2015. She moreover reprised her place inside the two comply with-up films, 2019’s Downton Abbey and 2022’s Downton Abbey: A New Period. The official account for the assortment remembered her with a social media put up calling her a “true British icon,” together with, “Thanks for every thing.”

All via her occupation, Smith obtained two Academy Awards, 4 Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, 5 BAFTA Awards, and a Tony Award. In 1990, Smith was moreover made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II.

Following the data of Smith’s passing, celebrities and followers took to social media to pay tribute.

Whoopi Goldberg shared a put up on Instagram, posting {a photograph} of herself and Smith collectively from Sister Act.

“Maggie Smith was an ideal lady and a superb actress,” Goldberg captioned the put up. “I nonetheless cannot imagine I used to be fortunate sufficient to work with the ‘one-of-a-kind.’ My heartfelt condolences exit to the household…RIP.”

Rob Lowe — who starred with Smith in 1993’s Immediately Final Summer time — shared a press launch on X, beforehand Twitter, writing, “Saddened to listen to Dame Maggie Smith has handed. I had the unforgettable expertise of working together with her; sharing a two-shot was like being paired with a lion. She might eat anybody alive, and sometimes did. However humorous, and nice firm. And suffered no fools. We are going to by no means see one other. God pace, Ms. Smith!”

Followers mourned Smith’s passing on social media, remembering the legendary actress as a “treasure,” “icon” and one of many “greats.”

“The good Dame Maggie Smith has handed away, aged 89. She was such a major a part of my childhood and grownup life too,” an individual wrote. “An excellent actress, an exquisite human being. Could she relaxation in peace. Thanks, Maggie, for the great expertise you shared with us all.”

“This one hurts. ‘Iconic’ feels too shallow and base a phrase for the way monumental she was. Most adjectives to explain Maggie Smith and her unimaginable profession do, really. Relaxation in peace, Dame Maggie,” a second fan talked about, whereas one different wrote, “RIP Maggie Smith. Two Oscars, 4 Emmys, a Tony and a fabulously dry sense of humour. One of many all-time greats.”

A most popular put up on X featured a nonetheless from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Hearth, with Smith alongside her late costars Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), and Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore). Rickman handed away in 2016 following a battle with most cancers. Gambon, in the meantime, died exactly one yr in the previous proper this second, on September 27, 2023, on the age of 82 after a bout with pneumonia.

“Relaxation in peace to an absolute treasure, Dame Maggie Smith. They have been reunited,” the particular person wrote alongside the {photograph}.

In the meantime, many followers honored Smith by sharing a number of of their favorite performances and clips of Smith’s most memorable scenes, together with posting hilarious snippets from Smith’s earlier interviews.

See further tributes and reactions from celebrities and followers inside the posts, below.