Toni Collette has shared a touching tribute to Dame Maggie Smith after the legendary actress’ death at the age of 89.
The British Downton Abbey star died in hospital on Friday morning after an incredible 70-year acting career, her family confirmed.
Actress Toni, 51, has lead the Australian stars in paying tribute to Dame Maggie as she took to Instagram to share some heartfelt words.
The Hereditary star described the esteemed actress as a ‘force’ as she shared her devastation in an emotional post alongside a photograph of Maggie.
‘Maggie Smith has left us. My god, she was a force,’ Toni penned alongside love heart, praying hands and star emojis.
She also shared further photographs of Dame Maggie and interviews from over the years as she remembered the Downtown Abbey actress.
Aussie model Simone Holtznagel also took to her Instagram to share a snap of Dame Maggie posing for a fashion campaign for Loewe, in what would end up being her last photograph.
Dame Maggie was named as the face of the luxury Spanish fashion house in October 2023 and delighted fans by modelling for the brand in a stylish photoshoot.
Toni Collette (pictured in July 2023) has shared a touching tribute to Dame Maggie Smith after the legendary actress’ death at the age of 89
The British Downton Abbey star (pictured in February 2015) died in hospital on Friday morning after an incredible 70-year acting career, her family confirmed
Simone, who has modelled for the likes of Peter Alexander, Cotton On and Grazia magazine, aptly remembered the fashion shoot in her tribute to Dame Maggie.
Dame Maggie died aged 89 on Friday with her children, Chris Larkin and Die Another Day star Toby Stephen, announcing her passing in a statement.
Her sons shared: ‘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.’
Born in Ilford, Essex, on December 28, 1934, she was an internationally recognised actress for much of her life after playing the fanatical teacher Jean Brodie in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie.
She also won over Harry Potter fans later in life, when she appeared in the film series as the quick-witted, kind and formidable Professor McGonagall.
And in 2010 she was central to the success of ITV series Downton Abbey, in her Emmy-award winning role as the acerbic Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, which she continued to play in the films.
Actress Toni, 51, has now lead the Australian stars in paying tribute to Dame Maggie as she took to Instagram to share some heartfelt words (pictured)
Aussie model Simone Holtznagel (pictured in November 2023) also took to her Instagram to pay tribute, sharing a snap of Dame Maggie posing for a fashion campaign for Loewe
Her career of more than half a century brought her recognition almost from the beginning, and she received an early Bafta nod for promising newcomer in 1959 for the crime film Nowhere To Go.
This was followed by Bafta nominations for Young Cassidy in 1966, Death On The Nile in 1979, California Suite in 1980, Quartet in 1982, The Secret Garden in 1994, Tea With Mussolini in 2000, Gosford Park in 2002, and The Lady In The Van in 2016.
She also won best actress gongs for The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, A Private Function and The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearne.
Her final roles included The Miracle Club, which follows a group of women from Dublin who go on a pilgrimage to the French town of Lourdes, and 2022’s Downton Abbey: A New Era, in which Violet dies.
Among the first to pay tribute was her friend Gyles Brandreth, who said: ‘The saddest news: the death of Dame Maggie Smith marks the end of a golden era and a quite extraordinary life.
‘She was a truly great actress, ‘one of the greats’ and simply the best company: wise, witty, waspish, wonderful. One of a kind in every way and consequently irreplaceable.’
Meanwhile, Daniel Radcliffe paid tribute to the ‘legend’ as he reflected on his decade of working with her on the eight Harry Potter movies in his titular role, and previously on David Copperfield when he was just nine years old.
Paying tribute to her on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, he said: ‘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.
‘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.’
Daniel Radcliffe paid tribute to the ‘legend’ as he looked back on working across the eight Harry Potter movies with her (both pictured in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)
He spoke of her ‘fierce intellect’ and ‘gloriously sharp tongue’ and said she ‘could intimidate and charm in the same instant and was, as everyone will tell you, extremely funny’.
He added: ‘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.’
Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter franchise, also updated his Instagram profile picture to a sweet throwback of Maggie and himself to pay tribute to her.
Meanwhile, author JK Rowling paid tribute to Dame Maggie with a social media post that simply said: ‘Somehow I thought she’d live forever. RIP Dame Maggie Smith.’