Smith’s sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, announced that she passed away early Friday in a hospital in London.

“They leave behind two sons and five beloved grandchildren who are heartbroken by the loss of their remarkable mother and grandmother,” they said in a statement from publicist Clair Dobbs.

Smith was often considered the top British actress of her generation, which included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench. She received several Academy Award nominations and won many acting awards.

Even in her later years, she was still sought after, though she once joked that “once you reach the grandma stage, you’re lucky to get any roles.”

Smith humorously described her later roles as “a gallery of grotesques,” including Professor McGonagall. When asked why she accepted the role, she joked, “Harry Potter is my pension.”

Richard Eyre, who directed her in a TV version of “Suddenly Last Summer,” said she was “the smartest actress I’ve ever worked with. You really have to be quick to outsmart Maggie Smith.”

In “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,” where she played a captivating but dangerous schoolteacher from Edinburgh, Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actress and a BAFTA in 1969.

She also earned a supporting actress Oscar for “California Suite” in 1978, along with Golden Globes for both “California Suite” and “A Room with a View.” Additionally, she won BAFTAs for Best Actress in “A Private Function” in 1984, “A Room with a View” in 1986, and “The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne” in 1988.

She was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress in “Othello,” “Travels with My Aunt,” “A Room with a View,” and “Gosford Park.” She also won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress in “Tea with Mussolini.” On stage, she earned a Tony Award in 1990 for her role in “Lettice and Lovage.”

In 2012, her work earned her three Golden Globe nominations for the hit TV series “Downton Abbey” and the films “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” and “Quartet.”

Smith was known for being challenging to work with at times and sometimes overshadowing her co-stars.

Richard Burton noted that in “The VIPs,” Smith didn’t just take over a scene—she “commits grand larceny.” However, director Peter Hall said she wasn’t “remotely difficult” unless she was working with less capable people. He explained that she is very tough on herself and expects the same from others.

Smith admitted that she could be impatient at times.

“It’s true I don’t tolerate fools, and they don’t tolerate me, so I can be a bit spiky,” Smith said. “Maybe that’s why I’m good at playing prickly elderly ladies.”

Critic Frank Rich, in a New York Times review of “Lettice and Lovage,” praised Smith as “the stylized classicist who can make even a simple line like ‘Have you no marmalade?’ sound like a clever saying from Coward or Wilde.”

Smith famously got laughs from the simple line, “This haddock is disgusting,” in a 1964 revival of Noel Coward’s “Hay Fever.”

“But unfortunately, the critics mentioned it, and after that, it never got a laugh,” she recalled. “Once something is labeled funny, it’s fragile. It disappears.”

Margaret Natalie Smith was born in Ilford, on the eastern edge of London, on December 28, 1934. She summed up her life simply: “I went to school, wanted to act, started acting, and I’m still acting.”

Her father was assigned to wartime duty in Oxford in 1939, where her studies at the Oxford Playhouse School led to a busy apprenticeship.

“I did so many things around the universities there. If you were clever and quick enough, you could almost do weekly rep since all the colleges were putting on different productions at different times,” she said in a BBC interview.

She chose “Maggie” as her stage name because there was already another Margaret Smith in the theater.

Laurence Olivier recognized her talent and invited her to join his original National Theatre company, casting her as his co-star in the 1965 film adaptation of “Othello.”

Smith mentioned that two directors, Ingmar Bergman and William Gaskill, were significant influences on her work in National Theatre productions.

Alan Bennett, who was preparing to film the monologue “A Bed Among the Lentils,” was cautious about Smith’s reputation for getting bored. Actor Jeremy Brett described it as, “she starts wonderfully and then fades, like a cheese.”

“So the fact that we only had just enough time to do it was a real blessing because she was so fresh and engaged,” said Bennett, who also wrote a leading role for Smith in “The Lady in the Van.”

Despite her larger-than-life presence on stage and screen, Smith was known to be very private.

Simon Callow, who acted with her in “A Room with a View,” said he messed up their first meeting by showering her with compliments.

“I blurted out all sorts of nonsense about her, and she kind of withdrew. She really doesn’t like that kind of attention,” Callow said in a film portrait of the actress. “She never wanted to discuss acting because she was afraid that if she did, it would disappear.”

Smith was honored as a Dame Commander of the British Empire, the equivalent of being knighted, in 1990.

She married fellow actor Robert Stephens in 1967, and they had two sons, Christopher and Toby, before divorcing in 1975. That same year, she married writer Beverley Cross, who passed away in 1998.

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Universal Pictures was unavailable for comment, and insiders close to the project revealed that there is currently no script in place, indicating that the project is still in its early stages of development. However, Edward Berger’s recent success with All Quiet at the Oscars has made him a sought-after director, and his potential involvement in the Bourne project has generated excitement among all parties involved, suggesting a promising future for the franchise.

If the deal with Edward Berger is finalized, he would be the only confirmed attachment to the project at this time. No other talent has been secured yet, but sources mention that Matt Damon, who portrayed Bourne in four of the five films, would be the first choice to reprise his role once a script is completed. However, Damon’s return to the franchise depends on various factors, including the quality of the script and story. As of now, there’s no commitment from him until those elements are in place and meet his standards.

Exactly, just like the Fast & Furious franchise, the Bourne series holds significant importance for Universal Pictures. It has not only brought in substantial box office revenue but has also received considerable critical acclaim. The Bourne franchise is a prized asset for the studio and is held in high regard.

Berger’s film “All Quiet on the Western Front” earned an impressive nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and took home Oscars for Score, Cinematography, and Production Design. Additionally, it secured seven BAFTA wins, including Best Film Not In The English Language and Best Director.

Berger’s most recent directorial work includes “Conclave,” which was adapted by Peter Straughan from Robert Harris’s bestselling book. The film features an ensemble cast including Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, and Isabella Rossellini. Focus Features has recently acquired the distribution rights for the film.

Berger made a significant impact beyond Germany in television production, notably with the series “The Terror” featuring Jared Harris in 2018, “Patrick Melrose” based on Edward St. Aubyn’s books starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and “Your Honor” with Bryan Cranston and Michael Stuhlbarg in leading roles. “Patrick Melrose” received widespread acclaim, earning nominations for an Emmy in five categories, including Best Limited Series and Best Director, as well as a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor.

In 2019, the series received four BAFTA awards, with Berger honored for Best Limited Series. Additionally, his film “All the Loving” featuring Lars Eidinger was showcased at the Berlinale in the same year.

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Will Johnny Depp be in Pirates of the Caribbean 6?

As of now, there is no official confirmation from Disney, Johnny Depp, or producer Jerry Bruckheimer regarding Depp’s return as Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean 6.

Nevertheless, Bruckheimer expressed his desire to collaborate with Depp again in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, stating:

“We’ll see. I would love it. I would love to have him in the movie – that’s all that I can tell you.”

Additionally, Johnny Depp has shown a willingness to revisit his portrayal of Jack Sparrow and collaborate with Disney once more. Sources close to the actor suggest that Depp has agreed to come back to the Pirates of the Caribbean series. However, his return is contingent on one condition: the sixth film must be the right project for him.

Johnny Depp’s current willingness to return to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is a notable shift from previous reports in 2022. Initially, he had a negative response and reportedly refused to work with Disney due to feeling betrayed by the company during his legal issues with Amber Heard. In fact, he had communicated to Amber Heard’s lawyer, Ben Rottenborn, that he would not collaborate with Disney again, even if they offered him a substantial $300 million paycheck for a sixth film.

Will Captain Jack Sparrow be in Carribean 6?

Johnny depp Return as Captain jack sparrow: While Johnny Depp’s return as Captain Jack Sparrow remains unconfirmed, there is a possibility that Disney could explore telling more stories with the character by recasting.

Replacing Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow is likely to stir controversy and face significant resistance from fans, as the actor and character have become strongly associated over time.

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A film depicting the life of Michael Jackson, which has been in development for a significant amount of time, is scheduled to begin production this year.

The upcoming film, titled “Michael,” will be helmed by director Antoine Fuqua, known for his work on movies such as “Training Day,” “The Equalizer,” and the recent thriller “Emancipation” centered around slavery. The screenplay for the film will be written by John Logan, a three-time Oscar nominee renowned for his work on films like “Gladiator” and “Skyfall.”

The production of “Michael” will be a collaboration between the late singer’s estate, represented by co-executors John Branca and John McClain, and the film’s producers, including Graham King, who has previously been involved in the successful adaptation of “Bohemian Rhapsody” for the big screen.

Fuqua said, “When I started making films, I first worked on music videos. I still believe that combining film and music is a big part of who I am. For me, Michael Jackson is the most powerful, charming, and incredibly talented musician. Watching his work influenced me to make music videos. He was the first Black artist to be shown a lot on MTV. His music and videos have shaped how I see things, and I couldn’t resist the chance to tell his story on the screen with his music.”

Lionsgate, the studio behind the film, has stated that “Michael” will explore all aspects of Jackson’s life, while sources suggest that it will also address the more challenging and controversial aspects. This comes in the aftermath of the HBO docuseries “Leaving Neverland” that aired in 2019, which contained allegations of sexual abuse against children by Jackson. The singer’s estate denounced the docuseries, considering it a form of “tabloid character assassination” and maintained Jackson’s innocence.

“Michael” serves as a continuation of the Broadway musical “MJ,” which achieved commercial success by grossing over $83 million. However, the musical received mixed reviews. Adrian Horton from The Guardian described it as “mesmerizing” but also acknowledged that it left a sense of discomfort.

The Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody achieved tremendous success, earning $910 million globally. In contrast, the Elvis Presley biopic, simply titled Elvis, generated $287 million in 2022. However, the Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance with Somebody faced challenges and garnered less than $50 million since its release last month. Looking ahead, there are upcoming music biopics centered around Amy Winehouse and Leonard Bernstein that are scheduled for release later this year.

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