1. Miss Jean Brodie (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, 1969)
Maggie Smith won her first Oscar for her portrayal of Miss Jean Brodie, a charismatic and controversial teacher at an all-girls school in 1930s Edinburgh. Brodie is idealistic and believes she is shaping young minds, but her fascist political beliefs and control over her students make her a complex figure. She is charming, persuasive, but also authoritarian and ultimately tragic. Smith’s performance struck a perfect balance between intellectual charm and the danger of radical ideas.
2. Muriel Donnelly (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, 2011)
In The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Maggie Smith plays Muriel Donnelly, an elderly English woman with racial prejudices and a blunt attitude. Initially resistant to anything foreign, she travels to India for a hip replacement and gradually experiences a transformation. Her character’s evolution from a bitter, prejudiced woman to a more open and compassionate person was portrayed with brilliance, blending humor and emotional depth.
3. Professor Minerva McGonagall (Harry Potter series, 2001–2011)
One of her most recognizable roles for younger generations, Minerva McGonagall is the stern yet fair Transfiguration professor and deputy headmistress at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She is loyal, brave, and deeply dedicated to her students and the school. Despite her strictness, McGonagall shows a deep sense of justice and care, especially for Harry Potter and his friends. Maggie Smith infused the character with dignity and strength, along with moments of warmth that endeared her to fans of the series.
4. Dowager Countess Violet Crawley (Downton Abbey, 2010–2015)
As the matriarch of the Crawley family, Violet, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, is one of the most iconic characters in Downton Abbey. Her wit, sharp intelligence, and biting humor won over audiences. Always involved in the family’s dramas, Violet is shrewd, traditionalist, and protective of her family, but also reveals a generous heart in moments of vulnerability. Her sharp-tongued quips and dry humor make her an unforgettable character. Maggie Smith won several awards for the role, including an Emmy.
5. Charlotte Bartlett (A Room with a View, 1985)
In A Room with a View, Smith plays Charlotte Bartlett, the prim and repressed chaperone of the young protagonist, Lucy Honeychurch. Charlotte is a moralistic and conventional woman, but also full of insecurities and hesitations. Her relationship with Lucy is ambiguous, oscillating between protective and controlling. Maggie Smith skillfully brought depth to this woman who, at first glance, seems rigid, but reveals layers of vulnerability and self-doubt.
6. Constance Trentham (Gosford Park, 2001)
In this film directed by Robert Altman, Maggie Smith portrays Lady Constance Trentham, an elderly, selfish aristocrat who is always concerned with her own comfort. She has a sense of superiority and a disdainful attitude towards others, particularly her servants. Yet, despite her arrogance, she is a comic figure, with lines full of irony. Smith’s performance was so captivating that it earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
7. Miss Shepherd (The Lady in the Van, 2015)
In this film based on a true story, Maggie Smith plays Miss Shepherd, an eccentric homeless woman who parks her van in front of playwright Alan Bennett’s home and ends up living there for 15 years. The character is both funny, infuriating, and deeply tragic. With her portrayal, Maggie Smith brings out the fragility and humanity of a woman who, behind her eccentric appearance, carries a painful past and a complex personality.
8. Wendy Darling (Hook, 1991)
In Hook, a continuation of the classic Peter Pan, Maggie Smith plays an elderly Wendy Darling. Now a grandmotherly figure, she has become a mythic figure, recalling her youthful days in Neverland. Although her role is not central in the film, Smith brought a sense of wisdom and nostalgia to the character, who spent her life caring for orphans and keeping Peter Pan’s memory alive.
9. Judith Hearne (The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, 1987)
In this introspective drama, Smith plays Judith Hearne, a lonely and repressed piano teacher facing emotional decline and the harsh reality of her loveless life. The character seeks comfort in alcohol and fantasies about romance and happiness, while grappling with her Catholic faith and the collapse of her hopes. Maggie Smith’s performance is devastating, sensitively portraying the character’s loneliness, bitterness, and yearning for affection.
10. Mother Superior (Sister Act, 1992 and Sister Act 2, 1993)
In the Sister Act films, Maggie Smith plays the strict Mother Superior of a convent who initially clashes with Deloris Van Cartier (Whoopi Goldberg), a singer hiding as a nun. The character is stern and traditional, but throughout the films, she learns to embrace the changes and the free-spirited Deloris, forming a relationship of mutual respect and even friendship. The contrast between her rigidity and the chaos brought by Deloris creates comedic and heartwarming moments.
These are just a few of the most memorable characters from Maggie Smith’s vast career. Each one, with its unique nuances, was portrayed with a depth that only an actress of her caliber could bring. Throughout her career, Smith demonstrated a unique ability to balance humor, tragedy, and humanity, making her one of the greatest legends of film and theater.
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