Daniel Radcliffe breaks silence on Dame Maggie Smith's death

by · Mail Online

Daniel Radcliffe has broken his silence on the death of his Harry Potter co-star Dame Maggie Smith as he mourns the loss of a 'legend'.

Maggie, who played Professor McGonagal alongside Radcliffe in the Harry Potter films, died in hospital this morning after an incredible 70-year acting career.

Radcliffe first worked with Dame Maggie in 1999 when he was just nine-years-old on TV mini-series David Copperfield in which he starred alongside four more of his future Harry Potter co-stars, including Zoe Wanamaker, Imelda Staunton, Dawn French and Paul Whitehouse.

He rose to fame at 12-years-old when he starred in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone with them all again in 2001.

Daniel Radcliffe as Young David and Maggie Smith as Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield in 1999
Nine-year-old Radcliffe and Dame Maggie as their characters in David Copperfield in 1999
Dame Maggie as Professor McGonagall putting the sorting hate on Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in The Philosopher's Stone
Dame Maggie as Professor Minerva McGonagall and Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in The Philosopher's Stone
Daniel Radcliffe and Maggie Smith with her granddaughter at the premiere of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005

Paying tribute to her on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Radcliffe said: 'The first time I met Maggie Smith I was nine years old and we were reading through scenes for David Copperfield, which was my first job. 

'I knew virtually nothing about her other than that my parents were awestruck at the fact that I would be working with her.

'The other thing I knew about her was that she was a Dame, so the first thing I asked her when we met was "would you like me to call you Dame?" at which she laughed and said something to the effect of "don't be ridiculous!"

'I remember feeling nervous to meet her and then her putting me immediately at ease. She was incredibly kind to me on that shoot, and then I was lucky enough to go on working with her for another 10 years on the Harry Potter films.'

Maggie Smith, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone
Paying tribute to his former co-star, Harry Potter's Rupert Grint updated his Instagram profile picture to a sweet throwback of the pair
Dame Maggie starred as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise while Rupert played Ron Weasley (pictured at a premiere in 2009)
Author JK Rowling also paid tribute to Dame Maggie with a social media post
Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, posted a heartfelt message on her Instagram story

He spoke of her 'fierce intellect' and 'gloriously sharp tongue' and said she 'could intimidate and charm in the same instant and was, as everyone will tell you, extremely funny'.

The 35-year-old actor added: 'I will always consider myself amazingly lucky to have been able to work with her, and to spend time around her on set. The word legend is overused but if it applies to anyone in our industry then it applies to her. Thank you Maggie.'

It comes after Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter franchise, updated his Instagram profile picture to a sweet throwback of Maggie and himself to pay tribute to her.

Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, posted a heartfelt message on her Instagram story that read: 'When I was younger I had no idea of Maggie's legend - the woman I was fortunate enough to share space with. 

'It is only as I've become and adult that I've come to appreciate that I shared the screen with a true definition of greatness. She was real, honest, funny and self-honouring. Maggie, there were a lot of male professors and by God you held your own. Thank you for all of your kindness. I'll miss you.'

Author JK Rowling also paid tribute to Dame Maggie with a social media post that simply said: 'Somehow I thought she'd live forever. RIP Dame Maggie Smith.'