Dame Maggie Smith, the beloved British actress known for her iconic roles in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, passed away on September 27, 2024, at the age of 89. Her sons, Toby Stephens, and Chris Larkin, confirmed her death in a heartfelt statement through their publicist, expressing how deeply they will miss their extraordinary mother and grandmother. Smith passed away peacefully in a hospital surrounded by friends and family. The family expressed their gratitude to the staff at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and kindness during her final days.
Throughout her illustrious career spanning over seven decades, Smith made her mark on both stage and screen, earning critical acclaim and the admiration of audiences worldwide. She gained international fame for her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series and the Dowager Countess Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey. Smith was a recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including two Academy Awards for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) and California Suite (1978), along with multiple BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and a Tony Award. Her career encompassed a wide array of roles, from Shakespearean theater to contemporary classics like Sister Act and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
She was also known for being intensely private, focusing on her craft, and rarely indulging in the celebrity limelight. Her personal life included two marriages: first to actor Robert Stephens, with whom the late actress had two sons, Toby and Chris, and later to playwright Beverley Cross until his death in 1998.
Maggie Smith’s Net Worth and Salary
Financially, Smith’s success is reflected in her substantial net worth, which was reported to be between $20 million and $40 million at the time of her death. Sources like Celebrity Net Worth placed her net worth at around $20 million, while others, such as Hot New Hip Hop, suggest that it could be closer to $40 million.
Much of this wealth came from her extensive work in film and television, where Maggie earned substantial salaries, particularly for her roles in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey. It’s believed that the film star made significant earnings from these long-running franchises, and her television role as Violet Crawley alone made her one of the highest-paid actresses on TV during the show’s peak.
In addition to acting salaries, Smith owned real estate, including properties in the UK, which further contributed to her wealth. She was known for maintaining a comfortable and private lifestyle, favoring a life away from the limelight. Yet, her homes and properties, along with the royalties from her films and television shows, greatly contributed to her overall financial status.
With Smith’s passing, the question of her estate and inheritance naturally arises. As her immediate family, Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, along with her grandchildren, are expected to inherit her estate. Her sons are both actors themselves, continuing in their mother’s footsteps, but the exact details of Smith’s will and distribution of her assets remain private. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that the legacy of Dame Maggie Smith—both in terms of her monumental contributions to the arts and her financial estate—will be left in the hands of those She cherished most.
