Daniel Radcliffe’s touching tribute to Harry Potter co-star Maggie Smith
Daniel Radcliffe and Maggie Smith in Harry Potter. Photo / Warner Bros.
Daniel Radcliffe has shared a heartfelt tribute as he mourns the death of the Oscar-winning British actor Dame Maggie Smith, who died on Friday aged 89.
Radcliffe, famed for his titular role in the Harry Potter movie franchise that also starred Smith, recounted the first moment he met her as a young boy.
“The first time I met Maggie Smith I was 9 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,” said Radcliffe in the written statement.
“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 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,” Radcliffe added.
King Charles III, Whoopi Goldberg and UK prime minister Keir Starmer also expressed tributes to the beloved actor.
In a statement, the King referred to Smith as “a national treasure” whose “warmth and wit ... shone through both on and off the stage”.
American actor and comedian Whoopi Goldberg said she felt lucky to have worked with the “one of a kind” in an Instagram post.
Starmer echoed the King in saying that Smith was a “true national treasure” and that her work will be “cherished for generations to come”.
Dame Maggie Smith introduced us to new worlds with the countless stories she acted over her long career.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) September 27, 2024
She was beloved by so many for her great talent, becoming a true national treasure whose work will be cherished for generations to come.
Our thoughts are with her family and…
Widely famed for her work in the Harry Potter films and Downtown Abbey, Smith’s other notable roles include The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) and The Lady in the Van (2015).
Smith is survived by two sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, who she had with her late ex-husband and actor Robert Stephens. Her children are also actors in Hollywood.