'Harry Potter' star Maggie Smith life before 'Downton Abbey' comes to light

Before embracing death on September 27, 2024, Maggie Smith, at one point in her life, opened up about her character in Downton Abbey that changed her life.

Maggie also garnered fame as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise after her depiction of Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey.

According to People, the actress told the British Film Institute in 2017 that she “led a perfectly normal life until Downton Abbey.”

She quipped, “I’m not kidding. I’d go to theaters, I’d go to galleries … on my own — and now I can’t. It’s truly television. I've been working around for a very long time before Downton Abbey. Life was fine. Nobody knew who the hell I was. It has changed."

Smith further expressed that it was “very odd to be recognized," and admitted that "I've spent a very long time without that happening to me. And it's a very, very strange sensation."

Elaborating her stance, she also said that it was “very nice” sometimes but sometimes “you just would like … to do things on your own without thinking about whether you're going to be stalked or asked to pose for one of those wretched cellphone things.”

Moving forward, Smith gave credit to the show's creator and co-writer, Julian Fellowes, for her character's success by saying, “She stuck to her principles in the way she had lived. She could see what was going on more than a lot of other people. She was a wise old bird. She'd been there and done that and got the T-shirt.”

For those unversed, Smith recently departed this life at the age of 89, and her sons Charis Larkin and Toby Stephen confirmed the news of her passing through a statement.

Her publicist, Clair Dobbs, released a statement on her family’s behalf that read, "She passed away peacefully in the hospital early this morning. 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."

“They thanked the staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital “for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days,” it concluded.

It is pertinent to mention that other than receiving nominations for six Laurence Olivier Awards, Smith secured five BAFTA Awards, a Tony Award, three Golden Awards, and two Academy Awards.