Dame Maggie Smith was beloved by many for her numerous on-screen appearances but one popular series destroyed her ‘perfectly normal life’.
While many know her for her role as Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter, it was actually Downton Abbey that made fame ‘awful’ for the star.
As tributes continue to pour in after the icon’s death at 89 years old, clips of old interviews showcasing her cutting wit and good humour have resurfaced online.
One particularly viral moment was from a conversation at the BFI in 2017, where she lamented that the mammoth TV drama blocked her ability to go to the theatre.
Smith never held back on her thoughts about Downton Abbey, which she famously claimed she never watched and thought ‘didn’t make sense.’
However, the show’s impact on her life was apparently rather disruptive, despite her having worked in the industry for over 60 years when it aired.
‘It’s ridiculous,’ she said during the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival 2017 when asked about the impact of her two biggest roles.
‘I led a perfectly normal life until Downton Abby,’ Smith explained, to which the audience chuckled. ‘No I’m not kidding.
‘I mean, I’d go to theatres, I’d go to galleries and things like that on my own, and now I can’t. And that’s, you know, awful.’
Downton Abbey began airing in 2010, with Smith playing main character Violet Crawley who was the Dowager Countess of Grantham until 2015.
Smith added: ‘The Fulham Road’s dodgy, let alone– It’s truly television. I mean I’ve been working around for a very, very long time before Downton Abbey and you know, life was fine, nobody knew who the hell I was. It has changed, never mind eh.’
When asked about the fact she hasn’t seen the show, the Sister Act icon said it had ‘got to a point where it was too late to catch up’.
The Oscar-winning actress died in hospital on Friday 27 September, confirmed in a statement released by her sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens.
‘It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith,’ they began.
‘She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end.
‘She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.
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