Dame Maggie Smith – Strong, outspoken, clever, sweet and effortlessly funny.

Dame Maggie Smith for Loewe 2023 campaign

Like most of the people my age, I first saw Maggie Smith in Harry Potter as Minerva McGonagall, twenty three years ago. She was my favorite. Back then, I wished to have a teacher like her (I also wanted to be a witch and she was the best witch of all time so…).

After all the Harry Potter movies, I’ve seen her in interviews, in other movies like Death on the Nile as Miss Bowers, in tv shows like Downtown Abbey as the subborn (and hilarious) countess Violet Crawley, or even starring for Loewe’s 2023 fashion campaign –where she looked amazing by the way.

Although her roles changed on each movie or tv show she made, she was always a strong, outspoken, clever, sweet and effortlessly funny woman who inspired many young and not so young people, including me.

I am grateful that her life has coincided with mine and that I have been able to see her play those great roles and speak in the way she did. Thank you.

Rest in peace.