Dame Maggie Smith Oscar-winning Harry Potter and Downton Abbey Star Dies, Aged 89

Published

2 years ago

September 27, 2024

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Dame Maggie Smith Oscar-winning Harry Potter and Downton Abbey Star Dies, Aged 89—-In the Harry Potter films, Dame Maggie played the acerbic Professor Minerva McGonagall, famous for her pointed witch’s hat and stern manner with the young wizards at Hogwarts.

In hit ITV drama Downton Abbey, she played Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, the grand matriarch who excelled at withering one-liners through the show’s six series.

A statement from her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin 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.”

They thanked “the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days”.

They added: “We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”

Tributes were also paid by her co-stars.

Hugh Bonneville, who appeared in Downton Abbey, said: “Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent.

“She was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances. My condolences to her boys and wider family.”

Dame Maggie also reprised her role for the two Downton Abbey films.

In 2022’s Downton Abbey: A New Era, her character died of the illness she revealed at the end of the 2019 film, to the huge upset of her family and friends.

Downton followed the success of 2002 period drama Gosford Park, which earned Dame Maggie both Oscar and Bafta nominations for playing Dowager Countess of Trentham.

In his statement on Friday, the prime minister said Dame Maggie “introduced us to new worlds with the countless stories she acted over her long career”.

“Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones. May she rest in peace,” he wrote.

Dame Kristin Scott-Thomas, who starred alongside Dame Maggie in 2005’s Keeping Mum and 2014’s My Old Lady, said she “took acting very seriously but saw through the nonsense and razzmatazz”.

“She really didn’t want to deal with that,” Dame Kristin added.

“She had a sense of humour and wit that could reduce me to a blithering puddle of giggles. And she did not have patience with fools. So you had to be a bit careful. I absolutely adored her.

“The last time I saw her, she was very cross about being old. ‘Maddening’ I think she said. Much loved, much admired and irreplaceable.”

A National Theatre spokesperson said her career “spanned the theatrical, film and television world without equal”.

Praising her stage performances, the statement added: “She will forever be remembered as one of the greatest actors this country has had the inestimable pleasure of witnessing.”

Bafta added that she was a “legend of British stage and screen”, praising her five competitive Bafta wins, plus the special award and fellowship she received from the organisation.

Dame Maggie’s career spanned eight decades, with early acclaim coming when she gained her first Bafta nomination for Nowhere to Go in 1958.

In 1963, she was offered the part of Desdemona in Othello at the National Theatre by Laurence Olivier, and two years later it was made into a film and Smith was nominated for her first Oscar.

The actress’s other memorable roles included 1985 Merchant Ivory film A Room With a View, in which she played the chaperone Charlotte Barlett, accompanying Helen Bonham Carter’s Lucy Honeychurch to Italy.

The role earned her another Oscar nomination and a Bafta.

And along with another national treasure, Dame Judi Dench, she appeared as an English woman living in 1930s Italy in the film Tea with Mussolini, which was released in 1999.

The two dames also shared screen time in A Room With a View and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

Dame Maggie played the firm but fair Reverend Mother in the two Sister Act films, starring Whoopi Goldberg as nightclub singer Doloris Wilson, who takes refuge from the mob in San Francisco by posing as a nun in a local convent.

Goldberg called Dame Maggie “a great woman and a brilliant actress”, adding: “I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to work with the ‘one-of-a-kind’.”

Rob Lowe, who starred with Dame Maggie in 1993’s Suddenly, Last Summer, recalled “the unforgettable experience of working with her”.

“Sharing a two-shot was like being paired with a lion,” he said.

“She could eat anyone alive, and often did. But funny, and great company. And suffered no fools.

“We will never see another. God speed, Ms Smith!”

The veteran actress also played the old woman who spent 15 years living in a van outside Alan Bennett’s house in a film adaptation of the writer’s The Lady in the Van in 2015.

Her final roles included 2023’s The Miracle Club, which follows a group of women from Dublin who go on a pilgrimage to the French town of Lourdes, co-starring Kathy Bates and Laura Linney.

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BREAKING: Country Music Icon Dolly Parton Dies at 80

Published

2 weeks ago

August 25, 2026

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BREAKING: Country Music Icon Dolly Parton Dies at 80—-The legendary singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist leaves behind a six-decade legacy that transformed country music and reached audiences around the world.

Country music legend Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, bringing an end to one of the most extraordinary careers in American music.

Parton’s family confirmed her death on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, with her nephew Bryan Seaver announcing the news through a video shared on her official social media accounts.

The announcement comes after Parton had recently spoken publicly about health challenges that had affected her over the past year.

A Six-Decade Musical Legacy

Born in Tennessee in 1946, Parton rose from poverty to become one of the most influential and recognisable entertainers in the world.

Her career began in the 1960s and eventually produced some of country music’s most enduring songs, including “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You.”

She wrote approximately 3,000 songs and sold more than 100 million records worldwide, establishing herself not only as a performer but also as one of the most accomplished songwriters of her generation.

Her composition “I Will Always Love You” achieved another level of global success when Whitney Houston recorded it for The Bodyguard soundtrack in 1992.

From Country Star to Global Icon

Parton’s influence extended well beyond music.

She became a successful actress, starring in films including 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, while also building a major business empire around her brand and the Dollywood theme park in Tennessee.

Her distinctive voice, songwriting ability, humour and instantly recognisable appearance made her one of the world’s most celebrated entertainers.

A Legacy of Giving

Away from entertainment, Parton was also renowned for her philanthropy.

Her Imagination Library literacy programme has provided hundreds of millions of free books to children, while she supported numerous charitable and humanitarian causes throughout her life.

She also donated $1 million toward COVID-19 vaccine research, further cementing her reputation as an entertainer who used her wealth and influence to support causes beyond the music industry.

The End of an Era

Parton’s death marks the passing of one of the defining figures of modern country music.

Across nearly six decades, she successfully crossed musical, cultural and generational boundaries while remaining closely connected to the Appalachian roots that shaped her early life.

With her death, the world loses not only a country music superstar but also a songwriter, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist whose influence extended far beyond the stage.

Dolly Parton was 80.

May her soul rest in peace.

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BREAKING: Taiwo Hassan ‘Ogogo’s’ Remains Arrive Ilaro for Burial as Nollywood Stars Gather to Pay Last Respects

Published

2 weeks ago

August 24, 2026

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BREAKING: Taiwo Hassan ‘Ogogo’s’ Remains Arrive Ilaro for Burial as Nollywood Stars Gather to Pay Last Respects—-The remains of the late Yoruba film icon have arrived in his hometown of Ilaro, Ogun State, ahead of his final rites as family, friends, colleagues and residents mourn his passing.

The remains of veteran Nollywood actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, have arrived in his hometown of Ilaro, Ogun State, ahead of his burial today, Monday, August 24, 2026.

https://thecloudngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ssstwitter.com_1787564656398.mp4?_=1

The arrival of the late actor’s remains has drawn family members, friends, colleagues and residents to Ilaro as preparations for his final rites get underway.

Ogogo died on Sunday, August 23, at the age of 66, following a battle with stage-four cancer. His death was confirmed by his daughter, Kira Hassan, and announced by veteran actor Jide Kosoko.

Nollywood Stars Arrive to Honour Ogogo

Several prominent figures from the Yoruba film industry have already arrived in Ilaro to pay their final respects to the celebrated actor.

@juju_tvmedia
Ogogo’s children mourned their daddy We’re live at the burial service of the late veteran Nollywood actor, Taiwo Hassan Ogogo, who passed away at the age of 66. May his soul rest in perfect peace. 🕊️ 📍Ilaro, Ogun State

♬ original sound – JUJU TV

Veteran actors Yinka Quadri and Jide Kosoko were among those seen in the town, while actress Ireti Osayemi also arrived as mourners gathered to bid Ogogo farewell.

@sophisticatedowambe
Libe up at Ogogo burial servuce

♬ original sound – sophisticatedowambeexclusive

The atmosphere in Ilaro has been marked by grief as residents and members of the entertainment community remember an actor whose career spanned more than four decades.

@ajoketv
Actress Ireti Osayemi arrives llaro, Ogun state for late actor Ogogo’s funeral rites set to hold this morning

♬ original sound – Ajoketv

Burial to Follow Islamic Rites

Ogogo’s burial is expected to be conducted according to Islamic rites.

Earlier announcements from the Ilaro Muslim Community stated that the burial prayer would take place at the Asade Agunloye Pavilion Ground in Ilaro. Reports from local sources put the prayer at 10:00 a.m., while an earlier announcement by Jide Kosoko had listed an 11:00 a.m. lying-in-state ceremony at the Ilaro Pavilion.

@onpointtalk_media
INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAIHI RAJI’UN 🕊️ Family, Friends and Colleagues gather for the burial rite of our beloved Legend Actor Alhaji Hassan Taiwo (Ogogo). May Allah forgive his shortcomings, grant him Al-Jannatul Firdaus and give his family and loved ones the strength to bear the loss. 🤲🏽 📍 Asade Agunloye Pavilion Ground, Ilaro Stay Onpoint Always #onpointtalkmedia #MediaAwonLobaLoba #onpointtalk

♬ original sound – MediaAwonLobaLoba

A Career That Spanned More Than Four Decades

Born in Ilaro on October 31, 1959, Taiwo Hassan became one of the most recognisable figures in Yoruba cinema.

He began his acting career in the early 1980s and eventually became a full-time actor after years of working in other professions. Over the decades, he built a reputation through memorable performances in productions including Owo Blow, Omo Ghetto, Omin, Tenant of the House and Aníkúlápó.

His contribution to Yoruba-language filmmaking earned him a lasting place among Nigeria’s most respected veteran actors.

A Town Mourns Its Son

The arrival of Ogogo’s remains has brought the actor’s remarkable career and final journey back to the community where his life began.

As Ilaro prepares to lay one of its most celebrated sons to rest, colleagues, fans and residents continue to pay tribute to a man whose work helped shape generations of Yoruba cinema.

Taiwo Hassan “Ogogo” was 66. May his soul rest in peace.

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