Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith
Dame Margaret Natalie "Maggie" Smith, CH, DBE is an English actress. She has had an extensive, varied career in stage, film and television spanning over sixty years. Smith has appeared in over 50 films and is one of Britain's most recognisable actresses. She was appointed as Commander of the Order of the British Empirein 1970. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empirein the 1990 New Year Honours for services to the performing arts, and Member...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionMovie Actress
Date of Birth28 December 1934
CityIlford, England
It's true I don't tolerate fools but then they don't tolerate me, so I am spiky. Maybe that's why I'm quite good at playing spiky elderly ladies.
I had no idea that that was around in the family anywhere. Maybe it never was. But - so they broke the way for me, if you know what I mean. I have no idea where I got the idea from to do what I do. But I think they - Ian and Alistair, my brothers kind of opened a lot of doors for me onto the world - you know, made it seem to be a very, very interesting place.
Theres a difference between solitude and loneliness
I find it very difficult to do anything on my own now because people recognize me. This has never happened to me before because I haven't really done television before. But I suppose if you're in people's rooms all the time, I don't know - I was thinking the other night with people like DiCaprio and, you know, those big stars and Cate Blanchett, and you just think how did they exist? It's so difficult. And I think now it's very intrusive because of these cellphones, you know, with cameras.
I had a very good English teacher who said to me that she thought I ought to do it. She - I don't know, she saw something thank goodness because I think if it hadn't been encouraged by somebody that serious, I'm not sure what would've happened to me.
Don't be defeatist, dear, it's very middle class.
It's funny to be pigeonholed so late in life but there we are.
People think of you differently if you've been in their homes. They think they own you because they watched you while they were eating dinner, or they can turn you up or down, or even freeze you.
I'm just glad to get any role... the fact that they're all 90 is neither here nor there! Actually, it was Hook that started it. I think it was Peggy Ashcroft who couldn't do the part and somebody was asked how old was I and would I be able to do the part, and the person replied "92" very quickly. And so I've been stuck ever since! But I'm actually very grateful.
Listen, I must be 110 by now. Granny is going to kick the bucket at some point.
The performances you have in your head are always much better than the performances on stage.
I like being outside and working with the elements. The elemental aspects of it. The physicality of it.
It was - it's always very nice to be somebody rather grand.
I'm far, far, far from that. But of course, that's one of the joys of acting is that you can move up in the world, even if - you know, in the characters that you're playing, even if you don't.