In conversation with Maggie Smith: “I led a perfectly normal life until Downton Abbey” | BFI
Dame Maggie Smith, who plays the Dowager Countess of Grantham in ITV’s costume drama, talks to Mark Lawson about why her character should be killed off, forgetting which film she’s shooting on and why she was considered “too common” to appear in plays at school. This event, which was called Dame Maggie Smith in Conversation, was held as part of the BFI + Radio Times TV festival, which took place in April.
Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetotheBFI.
Watch more on the BFI Player: http://player.bfi.org.uk/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BFI
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BritishFilmInstitute
Follow us on Google+: https://plus.google.com/+britishfilminstitute/
26 Comments
Humor dry as the desert…totally unaware of her charm…the world is poorer for her departure… she was and will always be immortalized as a natural talent who could convey a message to the minds and hearts of her audience with just a gesture or a facial expression…
I’ve known who you were since the Pumpkin Eaters (even though you weren’t even in the credits) and Ms Brodie. Rest in peace you darling Dame.
What a gem. Wonderful interview.
Give her a rest, she couldn't pass the mirror thing yet. You expected her to watch herself on the Telly ? Unthinkable ! 😀 Ah… how I loved her. Rest in peace ma'am…
Wonderful Lady❤
I wonder were Veronica East is now, or her family!! 😊
I loved Maggie on Carol Burnett show, in Hook, Sister Act and First Wives Club.
Is she drunk?
I LOVED MAGGIE IN THE PRIME OF MISS BRODIE SHE WAS GREAT IN THAT. ❤❤
She will be missed but we will always have her in our movies to treasure her by❤ RIP wonderful Maggie❤❤❤
Downton has become one of my favorite shows of all time. I haven’t enjoyed such a wholesome show like this in a wholesome way since LHOTP. Dame Maggie stole everything she was in. It’s not cliche to say because there were so many dimensions to her character that only an actress like Dame Maggie could pull off, and she did in spades as the Dowager Countess and every other role she played, but most especially as Granny on Downton. We’ll never see another show the likes of Downton and I’m so glad we at least have that!
I've watched this video a few times and love it. It's credit to Maggie, that after nearly 10 years since Downton was initially shown on TV, us fans can still remember practically all of the Dowager Countess's putdowns.
…she was so honest and people just laugh…honestly kinda sad you can tell how tired she is in this video…we miss you Maggie and thank you for all of the wonderful memories you’ve given us❤️❤️
Im sorry, but I will always love her most in Sister Act! “What next? Pop corn? Girl groups?…Boogie woogie on the piano?”
Il miglior personaggio interpretato, se stessa. Donna fantastica. L ho adorata
The comments are of such praise and adoration that it warms the heart to see most were written already years ago😊
Maggie Smith was huge before Downton Abbey. She had the X factor.
She was also on the carol burnett show. It was a blast
Maggie Smith’ character was by far my favorite.
Mathew – “I’ll have the weekend”
Maggie – “What is a week end?”
My favourite line of Maggie's is in Gosford Park where visiting American film director (Weissman) to an English country house wants to share the details of a movie he has made.
Maggie's character (Constance): What's it about?
Weissman: Oh. I wouldn't want to spoil it for you.
Constance: That's alright. None of us are going to see it.
Wonderful actress. RIP.
She seemed so unimpressed by any reaction whatsoever.
An icon, recognised by every generation, in decade of tv and film. ❤
What a great video this was.
I absolutely adored Maggie Smith and such a great interviewer. This just seemed to flow and the audience was marvellous as well.
to the question "What is the most tormented thing you ever did?" Maggie missed a great opportunity to become Groucho Marx and say "This interview." RIP Maggie you were beyond great…you were superior.
I was lucky enough to see her in Private Lives on the West End stage back in the early 1970s, and I have never forgotten it. She was absolutely brilliant at playing comedy, wickedly naughty, and I have loved her in so many films because she had the most amazing range. Such a loss.