Daniel Radcliffe Pays Tribute to Maggie Smith: ‘Harry Potter’ Co-Star Was ‘A Fierce Intellect’ With a ‘Gloriously Sharp Tongue’
variety.comZack Sharf Digital News Director Daniel Radcliffe is paying tribute to the late Maggie Smith, who died at 89 years old. The two actors are veterans of the “Harry Potter” film franchise.
Radcliffe starred in the title role of all eight movies, while Smith appeared in every “Harry Potter” movie except “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” as Professor Minerva McGonagall, the head of Gryffindor House and the deputy headmistress at Hogwarts under Albus Dumbledore. “The first time I met Maggie Smith I was 9 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.” “She was a fierce intellect, a gloriously sharp tongue, could intimidate and charm in the same instant and was, as everyone will tell you, extremely funny,” Radcliffe added. “I will always consider myself amazingly lucky to have been able to work with her, and to spend time around her on set.
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