As a signifier actor, Smith, who was made a dame by Queen Elizabeth II successful 1990 for her contributions to the arts, held roles successful productions of Macbeth, Anthony and Cleopatra, Richard III, Othello and Hedda Gabler. Her awesome theatrical accolades included a record-breaking six Evening Standard Theatre Awards—the oldest theatrical honor successful the United Kingdom—and a Tony Award for 1990's Lettice and Lovage.

Outside of theatre (a mean Smith told the Evening Standard was her "favorite"), the histrion appeared successful countless of beloved films, including Hook, Sister Act, Gosford Park, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. She received a Best Actress Oscar in 1969 for her titular relation in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for 1978's California Suite.

Most notably, Smith starred successful each eight Harry Potter movies arsenic Professor Minerva McGonagall, a relation she continued to play adjacent portion undergoing chemotherapy for bosom cancer in 2007.

"I was hairless," she told The Times in 2009 of moving passim her crab treatments. "I had nary occupation getting the wig on. I was similar a boiled egg."

Though Smith recalled being "horribly sick" during the filming of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she said the acquisition showed her the meaning of resilience. "S--t happens," she bluntly quipped to the publication. "I ought to propulsion myself unneurotic a bit."

As for her TV career, Smith famously captured hearts arsenic Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, on Downton Abbey. After winning three Emmys throughout the series' six-season run, she reprised the relation successful the 2019 and 2022 movie adaptations.

In summation to starring connected the humanities drama, Smith besides made appearances connected beloved TV movies specified as My House successful Umbria and Capturing Mary, arsenic good arsenic the BBC miniseries David Copperfield—which co-starred her Harry Potter castmate Daniel Radcliffe.

And though Smith's resumé boasted a plethora of prestigious honors, she kept retired of the nationalist spotlight and enjoyed a quiescent backstage life. She was joined to Robert Stephens—with whom she shares sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, some present moving arsenic actors—from 1967 to 1975 and playwright Beverley Cross from 1975 until his decease successful 1998.

When asked astir if she had immoderate involvement successful her personage status, Smith told CBS News successful 2013, "Absolutely none. I mean, wherefore would I?"

"I don't consciousness immoderate antithetic to the mode I felt earlier and I'm not rather definite what it means," she continued, though noting that radical bash admit her much connected the thoroughfare since Downton Abbey. "I americium acquainted to radical now, which is what I was not before. That is wholly owed to the tv set."

Often praised by friends and colleagues for her speedy wit, Smith was besides known for her humility contempt her lengthy career. As she explained to The Telegraph in 2014, "Everything's an icon. If you person been astir agelong capable you are an icon. A alternatively dusty icon…or a nationalist treasure."