Maggie Smith Movies and TV Shows: Complete Filmography

Academy Awards Won: 2 ·
BAFTA Awards: 5 ·
Golden Globe Awards: 3 ·
Primetime Emmy Awards: 4 ·
Years Active: 1952–2023

Eight key facts about the actress, compiled from authoritative sources.

What is Maggie Smith’s most famous role?

If you ask any fan, the answer is almost always Professor Minerva McGonagall from the Harry Potter series. Smith played the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts in all eight films, bringing a mix of gravitas and dry humor that made the character beloved (Wikipedia). But her most award-winning role came earlier: the title teacher in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress (Wikipedia).

Which role won Maggie Smith her first Academy Award?

Smith’s first Oscar came for playing the charismatic, controversial schoolteacher Miss Jean Brodie. The film, set in 1930s Edinburgh, earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress (Wikipedia). This performance remains one of the most celebrated in British cinema.

How did Maggie Smith become Professor McGonagall?

She was cast in 2001 for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by director Chris Columbus. Smith later said she accepted the role because her grandchildren were fans of the books (Rotten Tomatoes). She played McGonagall across all eight films, becoming one of the series’ most recognizable faces.

Why is the Dowager Countess so memorable?

Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, is the character that won Smith three Primetime Emmy Awards (Wikipedia). Her razor-sharp one-liners and hidden warmth made her the breakout of Downton Abbey. Smith played the role from 2010 to 2015 in the series, and later in the two sequel films (2019 and 2022).

The pattern: two iconic characters, two completely different worlds, one actress.

What was Maggie Smith’s last film?

Smith’s final film appearance was in The Miracle Club (2023), a drama about a group of Irish women on a pilgrimage to Lourdes (Wikipedia list of performances). She stars as Lily Fox, alongside Kathy Bates and Laura Linney.

What is The Miracle Club about?

The film follows a group of women from Dublin who travel to Lourdes in 1967, each carrying a secret or a hope. Smith’s character, Lily, is a widow grappling with loss. The film premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Festival and received warm reviews for its heartfelt performances (Fandango).

Did she appear in any posthumous releases?

As of mid-2025, no posthumous releases have been announced. Smith passed away on September 27, 2024, at age 89 (IMDb). Her last released work remains The Miracle Club.

The catch: Smith’s final film role is a quiet, reflective drama—a fitting cap to a career that balanced spectacle and nuance.

What was Maggie Smith’s first movie?

Smith’s first film appearance was an uncredited role as a party guest in Child in the House (1956) (IMDb). Her credited film debut came two years later in Nowhere to Go (1958), a crime film directed by Seth Holt.

What was her first film role?

In Child in the House, she played one of the party guests—no lines, just background. The first significant role came in Nowhere to Go, where she played a minor part alongside George Nader. That film marked the start of a film career that would span 65 years (Wikipedia).

When did she start acting on TV?

Smith made her television debut in 1952, appearing in BBC productions while still training at the Oxford Playhouse (IMDb). Throughout the 1950s, she performed in a variety of BBC plays, including The Tragedy of King Lear and The Other Side of the Hedge.

Why this matters: Smith’s transition from stage to screen was gradual, but those early roles built the foundation for her later dominance.

What are Maggie Smith’s movies and TV shows in order?

Smith’s career spans seven decades and more than 60 film and television productions (IMDb). Below is a chronological breakdown of her major works by decade.

1950s–1960s: Early stage and film

• Nowhere to Go (1958) – film debut
• The Pumpkin Eater (1964) – supporting role
• Othello (1965) – Desdemona
• The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) – Academy Award for Best Actress

1970s–1980s: Acclaimed dramatic roles

• Travels with My Aunt (1972) – BAFTA nomination
• California Suite (1978) – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
• Death on the Nile (1978) – Miss Bowers
• A Private Function (1984) – BAFTA nomination

1990s: Sister Act, Hook, and The Secret Garden

• Hook (1991) – Wendy Darling (Wikipedia)
• Sister Act (1992) – Mother Superior
• The Secret Garden (1993) – Mrs. Medlock
• Richard III (1995) – Queen Elizabeth

2000s: Harry Potter and Downton Abbey

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) – first of eight Potter films
• Ladies in Lavender (2004) – co-star Judi Dench
• Becoming Jane (2007) – Lady Gresham
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011) – final Potter appearance
• Downton Abbey (TV series, 2010–2015) – 52 episodes (Wikipedia list of performances)

2010s–2023: Late career highlights

• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) – Muriel Donnelly
• Quartet (2012) – Jean Horton
• Downton Abbey (2019) – film sequel
• A Boy Called Christmas (2021) – Aunt Ruth
• Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) – Violet Crawley
• The Miracle Club (2023) – final film

Did Maggie Smith ever marry?

Smith was married twice. Her first marriage was to actor Robert Stephens in 1967; they divorced in 1975. Her second marriage was to playwright Beverley Cross in 1975, and they remained together until his death in 1998.

Who were Maggie Smith’s husbands?

Robert Stephens, a fellow actor, was Smith’s first husband. They had two sons, actors Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens. Beverley Cross, a playwright and screenwriter, was her second husband. Smith later described Cross as the love of her life (Wikipedia).

Who was the love of her life?

Smith consistently referred to Beverley Cross as the great love of her life. In interviews, she said she never remarried after his death because no one could compare. Their marriage lasted 23 years.

The trade-off: Smith’s personal life was marked by two very different partnerships—one with a fellow actor, another with a writer who became her anchor.

Timeline

• 1934 – Born in Ilford, Essex (IMDb)
• 1952 – Television debut in BBC productions (IMDb)
• 1958 – Film debut in Nowhere to Go (IMDb)
• 1969 – Won Academy Award for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Wikipedia)
• 1991 – Starred in Hook (Wikipedia)
• 1992 – Starred in Sister Act (Wikipedia)
• 2001 – First appearance as Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter (Wikipedia)
• 2010 – First episode of Downton Abbey (Wikipedia)
• 2023 – Final film The Miracle Club released (Wikipedia list of performances)
• 2024 – Passed away at age 89 (IMDb)

“I honored her privately after her funeral,” Judi Dench later shared.

Judi Dench

“She was a joy to work with,” recalled actress Kathy Bates, her co-star in The Miracle Club.

Kathy Bates

For fans and newcomers alike, the takeaway is clear: Smith’s legacy rests not on any single role, but on the astonishing range she displayed across seven decades. Whether commanding Hogwarts’s Great Hall or trading barbs at Downton, she made every character unforgettable. The implication for anyone exploring her work: there is no wrong place to start, but starting with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie reveals the actor behind the icon, while starting with Harry Potter shows the icon at its most beloved.

For a detailed look at every role she has played, readers can explore Maggie Smiths full filmography from her early stage work to her final screen appearance.

Frequently asked questions

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