Whoopi Goldberg, Julian Fellowes and more

Maggie Smith’s career, spanning half a century, is celebrated by her peers.

The legendary actress, best known for her roles in the “Harry Potter” films and the “Downton Abbey” series, died on September 27 at the age of 89.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dame Maggie Smith,” Smith’s sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin said in a statement shared with IndieWire. “She passed away peacefully in hospital this morning, Friday September 27th. A very private person, she ended up with friends and family. She leaves behind two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.”

The statement continued: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and tireless kindness during their final days.” We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask “Please respect our privacy at this time.”

Smith won two Oscars, her first for best actress in 1969’s “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and her second for best supporting actress in 1978’s “California Suite.” She went on to win four Emmys, first in 2003 for the HBO film “My House in Umbria”. Smith’s role in the television series “Downton Abbey” earned her two more; She also took on her character Violet in the feature film versions.

Smith’s career also includes five BAFTAS and a Tony Award. The British stage and screen actress was also appointed Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1990.

Smith had previously told the Evening Standard that she wanted to return to theater later in her career.

“I wanted so badly to return to the stage because theater is basically my favorite medium, and I think I felt like I left everything unfinished,” she said in 2019. “But nothing came of it.”

“Downton Abbey” creator and writer Julian Fellowes told Variety that Smith “was a truly great actress and we were very lucky to be part of the final act of her outstanding career.”

“She was a joy to write for, subtle, complex, intelligent, funny and heartbreaking. Working with her was the greatest privilege of my career,” said Fellowes. “I will never forget her.”

Smith’s “Downton Abbey” co-star Hugh Bonneville told The Hollywood Reporter, “Anyone who has ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her keen eye, sharp mind and impressive talent,” adding, “She was a true legend of her generation” and will thankfully live on in so many great screen performances. My condolences go out to her boys and family.”

Michelle Dockery shared, “There was no one like Maggie. I am very lucky to have met such an outsider. She will be missed very much and my thoughts are with her family.”

Rob Lowe, who worked with Smith on the 1993 film Suddenly, Last Summer, wrote: “It saddens me to hear that Dame Maggie Smith has passed away. I had the unforgettable experience of working with her; Sharing a two-shot was like being paired with a lion. She could eat anyone alive, and did so often. But fun and great company. And you don’t suffer fools. We’ll never see another one again. Thank God, Mrs. Smith!”

Producer Gareth Neame said in a press release: “Maggie Smith was one of the greatest actresses of our time and a beloved member of the Downton family. With Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Maggie created one of the best on-screen performances we have ever seen across six seasons of the television series and two films over twelve years. The entire cast and crew of Downton Abbey felt it was a great honor to work with her. She was an actress of such caliber whose incredible talent could encompass both great comedies and full-blown tragedies. Outside of the film, she had a special closeness to the actors who played the other members of her family and was very generous and full of encouragement to the younger actors. It is personally poignant to me that my late grandfather directed one of her best performances in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, for which she won her first Oscar. Jean Brodie and Violet Grantham are just two creations of an extraordinary career that has spanned decades and delighted audiences around the world. There is only one Maggie Smith and we will miss her dearly. Our thoughts are with her family.”

Smith’s “Sister Act” co-star Whoopi Goldberg wrote: “Maggie Smith was a great woman and a brilliant actress. I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to work with the “one of a kind.” My deepest condolences to the family…RIP.”

Below are more tributes to Smith.