Smith broke through in the role of Desdemona opposite Laurence Olivier in the 1965 film “Othello,” for which she was nominated for an Academy Award.

Dame Maggie Smith attends the Premiere of 'Quartet' during the 56th BFI London Film Festival at Odeon Leicester Square on October 15, 2012 in London, England.© Stuart C. Wilson, Getty Images ...

Smith was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench, with two Oscars, a clutch of Academy Award nominations and a shelf ...

Smith was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench, with two Oscars, a clutch of Academy Award nominations and a shelf ...

Smith was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench, with two Oscars, a clutch of Academy Award nominations and a shelf ...

Dame Maggie Smith, the legendary, beloved British actress best known for her roles in Harry Potter, Downton Abbey and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, has sadly passed away at the age of 89.

Smith was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench, with two Oscars, a clutch of Academy Award nominations and a shelf ...

Maggie Smith, who won an Oscar for 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and won new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor ...

Maggie Smith, the masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for the 1969 film ''The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie'' and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham ...