Another star has fallen in the world of movies. Teacher at Hogwarts Professor McGonagall, who was played by Margaret (stage name “Maggie”) Smith in all seven Harry Potter movies passed away in the early hours of the day on Friday, September 27th, 2024.
It was said by her two sons, Chris Larken and Tony Stephens, that her passing was peaceful and occurred during the early hours of the morning.
While some believe that her passing was due to natural causes, there may have been something deeper that Maggie Smith herself has been implying about her health in the past.
What could have caused Maggie’s death?
Digging further into the unfortunate passing of the beloved Hogwarts Professor, Maggie did indeed have some health issues.
According to several articles, some interviews revealed that Maggie was very open about her health and had revealed that she had been diagnosed with Grave’s Disease in her 80s along with hip displacement (which she received hip replacement surgery for), battled Breast Cancer after feeling a major symptom during the filming of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and even been diagnosed with Glaucoma in one eye!
Many things could have been a contributing factor to Maggie’s unfortunate death, but I do not fully believe that it was natural since she experienced all these health issues (and scares).
What do people have to say about Maggie’s death?
While many people weren’t exactly phased by the news, I know I was. Once, a teacher informed me about one of my favorite actress’ death I remember sitting next to my friend in shock for a moment.
During a statement from a sophomore at Coral Springs High, Grayson To says that he only knew Maggie Smith due to her appearance in the Harry Potter films but he was not moved in any way about the actress’s death. Grayson states, “Like yes it’s sad that the actress died, but I don’t know them in real life, so it doesn’t affect me.”
But other individuals have much more to say than the students at Coral Springs High School.
Daniel Radcliffe, the actor known for his excellent portrayal of the globally known character Harry Potter gives a statement about Maggie Smith’s passing to which in the end he says, “The word legend is overused but if it applies to anyone in our industry then it applies to her. Thank you, Maggie.”
It is revealed in the same article that Daniel asked upon first meeting Maggie if she would like him to refer to her as Dame. In turn, Maggie responded with what Daniel explained as, “something to the effect of ‘Don’t be ridiculous!’.”
Background
On December 28th, 1934, Margaret Natalie Smith was brought into the world by her parents Nathanial Smith and Margaret Hutton-Smith.
It is not known what Margaret wanted to grow up to be as a child, but after moving to Oxford, England, at age four, she attended Oxford High School and ended up becoming an actress at the young age of seventeen.
When Maggie was approximately fifty-five years old, she was made a Dame by the Queen of England II since she was so beloved by the people of England.
According to BBC, King Charles as well as the queen gave a tribute regarding Dame Maggie Smith’s death. The statement reads, “As the curtain comes down on a national treasure, we join all those around the world in remembering with the fondest admiration and affection her many great performances, and her warmth and wit that shone through both off and on the stage.”
Even after becoming the rank of Dame, Maggie Smith continued to work in varying roles and continue to receive varying recognition for her work.
It was in 1988 when she had one health scare when she was fifty that she was diagnosed with Grave’s disease which left her in a “fog of despair”. If you don’t know, Grave’s Disease, according to Mayo Clinic, is an immune system issue that primarily affects the thyroid gland. Symptoms of this condition can include having an enlarged thyroid gland, losing weight, greater appetite, bulging eyes, and discoloration in the skin. Then, in 2007, she lived through another health scare which she had to go through two years of chemotherapy for: she had been diagnosed with breast cancer! Breast cancer is a form of cancer that primarily affects women, but also men. Breast Cancer begins when cells rapidly produce in the breast tissue. In the 2000s there were also reports of health issues regarding heart issues, but Maggie dismissed those rumors. The last health issue individuals believe that Dame Maggie developed was Glaucoma, which is a condition that affects the optic nerve in the eye(s). Maggie supposedly developed this condition in only one eye.
Many Harry Potter and Downton Abbey fans, the two most popular films she has been cast in, are deeply saddened by this loss as much as they are depressed to know that there are only a couple more cast members who are still alive and well.
But this most unfortunate news should not stop us from watching and re-watching our favorite Dame Maggie on the big screen.
