Dame Margaret Natalie Smith Cross, DBE, (born December 28, 1934 in Ilford, Essex), better known as Maggie Smith, is a British film, stage, and television actress. She received numerous honours throughout her career, culminating in a DBE in 1990.

She started her career at the Oxford Playhouse Theatre with Frank Shelley , and first appeared on the movie screen in 1956. In 1969 she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. She was also awarded the 1978 Academy Award for Best Supporting Female Actress for her role in "California Suite".

She has been married twice, first to Robert Stephens (divorced) and then to Beverley Cross (his death). She has two sons by Stephens, actors Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin.

Selected Filmography

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, 1969, Jean Brodie

Travels With My Aunt, 1972, Aunt Augusta

Clash of the Titans, 1981, Thetis

Evil Under the Sun, 1982, Daphne Castle

A Room With a View, 1985, Charlotte Bartlett

Sister Act, 1992, Mother Superior

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, 1993, Mother Superior

The Secret Garden, 1993, Mrs Medlock

The First Wives Club , 1996, Gunilla Garson Goldberg

Tea With Mussolini, 1999, Lady Hester Random

Gosford Park, 2001, Constance, Countess of Trentham

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 2001, Minerva McGonagall

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 2002, Minerva McGonagall

My House in Umbria , 2003, Richard Loncraine

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 2004, Minerva McGonagall

Stage roles

She played the title character in the stage production of Alan Bennett's Lady in the Van and starred as Peter Pan in Sir J.M.Baries fairytale story "Peter Pan"

She won a Tony Award in 1990 for Actress in a Play for Lettice and Lovage

External links

• Maggie Smith Fanpages