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Dame Maggie Smith is certainly a larger than life character, as shown in her portrait revealed last week at London’s National Portrait Gallery. The painting, which stands six-foot-three, is by artist James Lloyd, winner of the esteemed BP Portrait Award. Vanity Fair Daily reports that Lloyd remarked:
“It’s not just her sitting there looking a bit bored—she has a very particular look… Although she was quite everyday in her dress, she’s grand as well. She’s a big figure, and she should have a certain grandeur.”
During the process of completing the portrait, there was one main challenge: adapting to Smith’s work schedule and having to deal with the occasional altered appearance. Lloyd notes, “At one point she came in with dyed blonde hair.”
Lloyd also explains that the verdict on Smith’s wardrobe and pose “came from her. . . . I was painting her, not her as a character. We all imagine her as a character in period pieces, especially now, but I just went with my vision. I asked her to turn up in everyday attire, and she told me she was very much open to being directed.”
Painting such an illustrious figure as Dame Maggie Smith would appear to be no easy feat, as her first words to the artists during their original meeting were reportedly “poor you.”
What do you think of Dame Maggie Smith’s portrait? Which Harry Potter stars’ portrait would you most like to see?
Posted by Laura on 04-21-2013 at 8:35 PM
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Miriam Margolyes, who plays professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films, was recently honored by her old high school, Oxford High, which invited her to be the guest of honor at the launch of some new campus buildings and named a studio space after her. Margolyes says of the honor:
They said, 'Well would you like to [open the buildings]?'. Which of course I desperately wanted to and I had the most wonderful day and it was a real thrill. I opened the new buildings and the whole school were there in the auditorium and I gave a speech and I went round the building. It was thrilling, and then I went to see the Miriam Margolyes Studio which is there in my school and I don't think I've had a happier day. It was absolutely wonderful.
It sounds like Miriam had a blast, but it turns out she wouldn't have had the opportunity to attend the launch if it wasn't for another Harry Potter star - Dame Maggie Smith!
Smith also attended the high school, and Margolyes was originally contacted so that she could ask Maggie if she would like to do the opening. Maggie declined, and the job fell to Miriam! Says Margoyles, "I was really pleased that Maggie didn't do it, because I got to." Sounds like it worked out for everyone in the end!
You can read the original article here.
Posted by Jessica on 04-05-2013 at 6:35 PM
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You've seen her in the Harry Potter films play Professor McGonagall, and perhaps more recently you've glimpsed her in the PBS period drama 'Downton Abbey', but we suspect you've never seen the actress quite like this.
"Downton Abbey" appears to be experimenting with a new kind of merchandise which features an artistic rendering of Smith in character as the Dowager Countess of Grantham, which they are marketing as "a stylish statement that will liven up any room."
But how well do you think this new pillow will sell? Is it something you would purchase to grace your living room or would you rather sleep on it? It seems to us that Smith's staring face may make either use of the pillow rather stressful.
Thanks to HuffPo for the tip!
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It has been revealed that the 2012 hit The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is getting a sequel, and there's a good chance that Dame Maggie Smith will return to reprise her role as Muriel Donnelly.
Says screenwriter Ol Parker of working with Maggie:
"She's a good friend, but she's ruthlessly unsentimental. There was a moment on set where we were talking and she said, 'Can I ask you something? Who did you really want to have play my part?' I was like, 'Are you kidding, Mags? Of course it was you! That was the...dream, obviously.' And there was a long pause, and she said, 'Why didn't you write me a better...part, then?'"
Parker also shares that when he called Smith to see if she would be interested in appearing in a Marigold sequel, she retorted: "Well, we'll all be dead by then. Call it Marigold Hospice."
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotelwas nominated for a number of awards, including Best Supporting Actress Nominations for Maggie Smith from both the British Independent Film Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Are you interested in seeing her reprise her role?
You can read the original article here.
Posted by Jessica on 03-03-2013 at 2:30 PM
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Dame Maggie Snith has been acting for 60 years after joining the stage at the age of 21 in the review New Faces of '56 and became a regular performer at the Royal National Theatre during the 1960's.
Smith won her first Academy Award in 1969 for her role as Jean Brodie in the film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and another Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in California Suite in 1978. She has also won seven BAFTA Awards, three Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award. But fans of Harry Potter will never forget her as the Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Headmistress Professor Minerva McGonagall.
During the interview on 60 minutes, she reminisced on working on the sets of Harry Potter by stating:
"It was extraordinary to see them grow up like that. Ten years of their lives, half their lives in fact."
Today, fans love Dame Maggie Smith for her performance as Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, in the hit series Downton Abbey. Her performance in the show has earned her a number of nominations and Awards, most recently winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
What was your favorite scene with Dame Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall? Let us know in the comments below.
Posted by Keith on 02-18-2013 at 10:10 PM
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The talented Potter star Dame Maggie Smith will be up for a few awards at the 2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards including Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress in a Drama Series. Smith will be recognized with nominations for her roles in both Downton Abbey and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. As both productions are also nominated for Best Ensemble Cast, she could pick up those awards as well.
For the best supporting actress category, Smith will be up against Sally Field for her role in Lincoln, Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables, and Helen Hunt from The Sessions. For the category of Best Actress in a Drama Series, Smith's competition is her Downton Abbey co-star Michelle Dockery
You can see the full list of main nominees right here. The SAG Awards are held in Los Angeles on January 27th.
What do you think? Does Dame Maggie Smith stand a good chance against her competition? Leave a comment and let us know!
Posted by Veronica on 12-12-2012 at 2:15 PM
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