Maggie Smith, the masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for 1969 film ''The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie'' and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in '' Downton Abbey'' and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films,

Learn about the extraordinary career and life of the celebrated stage, film, and television actress and beloved Downton Abbey star.

Maggie Smith, who won an Oscar for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” in 1969 and won new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey,” has died, her publicist said Friday.

Maggie Smith, who died on Sept. 27, was world-renowned for bringing to life characters in “Downton Abbey” and the Harry Potter films. With a shelf full of awards, she was a monolith of British acting in a generation that includes Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench.

Actors, collaborators and fans who worked with Dame Maggie Smith are paying tribute to the award-winning actor, known for her roles in the “Harry Potter” movies and “Downton Abbey.”

Maggie Smith is remembered on social media, and fans have shared several clips that have gone viral. In a funny clip for a show called Nothing Like A Dame, the duo, featuring Judi Dench, said they wanted to act as long as they could.

"We were more than fortunate to be part of the last act in her stellar career," Julian Fellowes said in a statement.

Maggie Smith, the British actress who made an indelible impression on viewers in a multitude of roles including the sharp-tongued Dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey,” has died. She was 89.

"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.