Maggie Smith called ‘one of the greats’ as hilarious Harry Potter story goes viral after her death

An amusing Dame Maggie Smith anecdote about Harry Potter and Downton Abbey fans recognising her in public has resurfaced following her death , aged 89

The two-time Oscar winner has died in hospital, her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens revealed on Friday (27 September).

In reaction to the news, many fans have begun sharing their fond memories of the star, with one Graham Norton interview proving to be a favourite.

Smith who played Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter series, told Norton in 2015 that she used to get noticed by a lot of “small people who said hello, which was nice”.

She added: “A whole different lot of people know me because of it. It was like I’d never existed before. One child asked me, ‘Were you really once a cat?’ and I heard myself say, ‘Pull yourself together, how could I have been!’”

For the uninitiated, McGonagall could transform herself into a cat in the wizarding franchise inspired by JK Rowling’s book series.

However, despite the success of the Harry Potter movies, Smith told Norton that she only started to be recognised once Downton Abbey , where she played the dowager Violet Crawley, became a hit.

“It’s only since Downton that people seem to recognise me,” said the actor. “That’s television for you.

“I was in Waitrose the other day and a little boy was at the checkout with his mother and he kept looking at me. When I asked him, ‘Can I help you?’ he said, ‘No, it’s alright, it’ll come to me in a minute.’ It was so lovely.”

One post on X/Twitter, which featured the interview, called her “one of the undeniable greats of her time”.

Reactions to the post showered Smith with praise. One fan wrote: “A Grand Lady, she will be missed.”

Another said: “She was a redoubtable woman and a superb actress who just seemed to get better with age.”

A third added: “She was so, so much more than *those* films btw. An Oscar-winning diva!!!”

In a statement issued via Smith’s publicist, they said: “It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith.

“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.”

Additional reporting by PA