Maggie Smith, one of the grand dames of British film and theatre, has left an indelible mark on the history of acting with her vast career, spanning over six decades and countless successes.
With a career that has shone both on the big screen and television, she has established herself as an actress of great versatility, capable of portraying deeply emotional characters as well as witty, comedic roles.
From her unforgettable portrayal as the strict yet endearing McGonagall in Harry Potter to her role as the sharp and witty Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey, each of her works has left a lasting impression on the hearts of audiences.
What are Maggie Smith’s best works? Her Top 10 titles
- Minerva McGonagall in Harry Potter (2001-2011)
Maggie became globally beloved for her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series. Her portrayal of the strict but caring Hogwarts professor was a perfect blend of humor, authority and heart.
Official plot of HP1: Harry Potter has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle’s house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday, he learns he’s a powerful wizard — with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he learns to harness his newfound powers with the help of the school’s kindly headmaster, Harry uncovers the truth about his parents’ deaths — and about the villain who’s to blame.
Available on Max.
- Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
Smith’s performance as the sharp-tongued, witty and aristocratic Dowager Countess became a standout in Downton Abbey. Her impeccable delivery of biting one-liners and her ability to mix humor with deep emotional resonance earned her widespread acclaim, including several awards.
Official plot: A chronicle of the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the post-Edwardian era—with great events in history having an effect on their lives and on the British social hierarchy.
Available on Peacock, BritBox, PBS and Prime Video.
- Jean Brodie in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
In this career-defining role, she plays a controversial schoolteacher with a passion for art and an unconventional outlook on life. She won her first Academy Award for Best Actress for this powerful performance, which showcases her ability to create complex and morally ambiguous characters.
Official plot: A headstrong young teacher in a private school in 1930s Edinburgh ignores the curriculum and influences her impressionable 12-year-old charges with her over-romanticized worldview.
- Desdemona in Othello (1965)
Starring alongside Laurence Olivier, she delivered a stirring performance as Desdemona in Othello. Her nuanced portrayal of the doomed heroine earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, marking her as one of the premier actresses of her time.
Official plot: General Othello’s marriage is destroyed when vengeful Ensign Iago convinces him that his new wife has been unfaithful.
Available on Shout! Factory TV and Tubi.
- Miss Shepherd in The Lady in the Van (2015)
In this touching and eccentric film based on a true story, she plays Miss Shepherd, a homeless woman who lives in a van in a writer’s driveway for 15 years. Her work brings depth, humor and a sense of mystery to the character. It garnered critical praise for her balance of comedy and drama.
Official plot: The true story of the relationship between Alan Bennett and the singular Miss Shepherd, a woman of uncertain origins who ‘temporarily’ parked her van in Bennett’s London driveway and proceeded to live there for 15 years.
Available for purchase or rental on Prime Video, Vudu and Apple TV.
- Charlotte Bartlett in A Room with a View (1985)
She played the role of Charlotte Bartlett, a socially repressed chaperone, in this adaptation of E.M. Forster’s novel. Her subtle and layered performance earned her a BAFTA Award and another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Official plot: When Lucy Honeychurch and chaperon Charlotte Bartlett find themselves in Florence with rooms without views, fellow guests Mr Emerson and son George step in to remedy the situation. Meeting the Emersons could change Lucy’s life forever but, once back in England, how will her experiences in Tuscany affect her marriage plans?
Available on Max, The Criterion Channel and BritBox.
- Mother Superior in Sister Act (1992)
In this comedy, she brought her natural gravitas and wit to the role of the no-nonsense Mother Superior, who oversees a convent that becomes a hideout for a lounge singer played by Whoopi Goldberg. Smith’s dry humor and perfect timing made her a standout in this light-hearted film.
Official plot: A Reno singer witnesses a mob murder and the cops stash her in a nunnery to protect her from the mob’s hitmen. The mother superior does not trust her, and takes steps to limit her influence on the other nuns. Eventually the singer rescues the failing choir and begins helping with community projects, which gets her an interview on TV—and identification by the mob.
Available on Disney+.
- Wendy Darling in Hook (1991)
Playing an elderly Wendy Darling in Steven Spielberg’s Hook, she added emotional weight and nostalgia to the beloved character from Peter Pan. Her portrayal of an aging Wendy provides a bittersweet link between the past and present in the film.
Official plot: The boy who wasn’t supposed to grow up—Peter Pan—does just that, becoming a soulless corporate lawyer whose workaholism could cost him his wife and kids. During his trip to see Granny Wendy in London, the vengeful Capt. Hook kidnaps Peter’s kids and forces Peter to return to Neverland.
Available for purchase or rental on Prime Video, Vudu and Apple TV.
- Maggie Smith in California Suite (1978)
She won her second Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in California Suite. Playing an actress who is nominated for an Academy Award, her performance is both humorous and poignant, making fun of the Hollywood elite while also exposing the vulnerabilities of fame.
Official plot: The misadventures of four groups of guests at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Available on Tubi.
- The Duchess of Brighton in The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987)
In this drama, she delivers a heartbreaking performance as Judith Hearne, a middle-aged woman slowly succumbing to loneliness and despair. Her ability to convey deep emotional pain and desperation made this one of her most intense and acclaimed performances.
Official plot: A penniless middle-aged spinster scrapes by giving piano lessons in the Dublin of the 1950s. She makes a sad last bid for love with a fellow resident of her rundown boarding house, who imagines she has the money to bankroll the business he hopes to open.
Available on The Criterion Channel.
