Dame Maggie Smith’s true feelings on the hit show Downton Abbey have resurfaced following the icon’s death at 89-years-old.
A clip of the iconic actresses’ 2015 appearance on The Graham Norton Show is doing the rounds on social media, showcasing the dry sense of humour she became known for.
During the interview, Smith, known for her role as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, in Downton Abbey, revealed that she had never actually watched the hit series, a confession that left the audience – and host Graham – in fits of laughter.
In the light-hearted clip, when Norton asked if she was relieved that Downton Abbey had come to an end, Smith didn’t hesitate to express her satisfaction.
‘Oh yeah,’ she replied, eliciting laughter from the crowd.
She further explained, ‘By the time we finished, [my character] must have been about 110, so I couldn’t go on and on. It just didn’t make sense.’
She continued admitting she had never actually watched the show, despite her iconic portrayal, adding, ‘I’ve got the box set, so I can watch it,’ to the amusement of both Norton and the audience.
Despite her dismissal of watching her own work, Smith’s portrayal of Violet Crawley remains one of her most celebrated roles.
Her sharp-tongued yet lovable character provided many memorable moments throughout the show’s five-year run from 2010 to 2015, and the character’s legacy continued even into the 2022 film Downton Abbey: A New Era.
Dame Maggie’s other iconic roles included Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise, as well as in critically acclaimed films like The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, for which she won her first Academy Award in 1970.
Her work in California Suite earned her a second Oscar, while her roles in films like The Lady in the Van and Gosford Park solidified her as acting royalty.
The Oscar-winning actress died in hospital on Friday 27 September, her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens said in a statement.
‘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.
‘We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.’
Following the news of her passing, tributes poured in from colleagues and admirers alike.
Rupert Grint, who starred alongside Smith in Harry Potter, honored her memory by changing his Instagram profile picture to a throwback image of the two of them.
Daniel Radcliffe shared a statement remembering her ‘incredibly kind’ legacy and her personal impact on his life.
‘The first time I met Maggie Smith I was nine years old and we were reading through scenes for David Copperfield, which was my first job. I knew virtually nothing about her other than that my parents were awestruck at the fact that I would be working with her,’ he said, per Variety.
‘The other thing I knew about her was that she was a Dame, so the first thing I asked her when we met was “would you like me to call you Dame?” at which she laughed and said something to the effect of “don’t be ridiculous!”.
‘I remember feeling nervous to meet her and then her putting me immediately at ease. She was incredibly kind to me on that shoot, and then I was lucky enough to go on working with her for another 10 years on the Harry Potter films,’ he fondly remembered.
He continued: ‘She was a fierce intellect, a gloriously sharp tongue, could intimidate and charm in the same instant and was, as everyone will tell you, extremely funny.
‘I will always consider myself amazingly lucky to have been able to work with her, and to spend time around her on set. The word legend is overused but if it applies to anyone in our industry then it applies to her. Thank you Maggie.’
Hugh Bonneville, her Downton Abbey co-star who played her son, reflected on her unmatched talent, calling her ‘a true legend of her generation’ and remembering her for her ‘sharp wit and formidable talent.’
Dan Stevens, who played Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey, also took to social media to remember Smith as ‘truly one of the greats,’ while actor and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth praised her as ‘one of a kind in every way.’
Smith was not only the beating heart of every project she was in, she was also extremely versatile, which was exemplified in films like Ladies in Lavender and The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, and on stage in the acclaimed David Hare play The Breath of Life.
In 2015, she brought Alan Bennett’s memoirs to life in The Lady in the Van.
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Dame Maggie Smith’s legacy is sure to live on – even if she didn’t much care for one of her most iconic roles, Downton Abbey’s Dowager Countess of Grantham.