Dame Maggie Smith, best known for her roles in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, has passed away at age 89.
Her sons issued the following statement:
"She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother."
Feline shape shifter
Maggie Smith was of course an extraordinary and beloved actress, but she was also an avid cat lover.
In fact, in a Harry Potter scene, she shape shifts into a cat! on the Graham Norton show, she once recalled how this seemingly small scene had affected the younger public:
"One kid once said to me 'were you really a cat?', and I heard myself say, 'just pull yourself together! How could have I been?'"
Cat lover through and through
But her love of cats doesn’t just exist in the Harry Potter world. In 2012, Maggie Smith contributed a drawing of her own hand to the Celebrity Paw Auction to raise funds for Cats Protection.
And in an interview with the cast of Downton Abbey, she revealed that she enjoys looking at cat memes on set!
Which role did you enjoy Maggie Smith most in?
