Starting in 2010, Smith captivated audiences with her portrayal of Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, in the period drama Downton Abbey. The role earned her three Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe, and numerous other accolades.

Smith continued to act well into her 80s, appearing in films such as Downton Abbey: A New Era in 2022 and The Miracle Club, which was released in 2023.

Maggie Smith was also known for her assertive nature and her ability to command scenes. Richard Burton, who co-starred with her in The VIPs, remarked that Smith didn’t just steal the scene; she “committed grand larceny.” However, director Peter Hall noted that Smith was never difficult to work with unless she was surrounded by incompetence.

Smith herself admitted that she could be impatient.
“It’s true I don’t tolerate fools, but they don’t tolerate me either. I can be quite sharp,” she said. “Maybe that’s why I’m good at playing sharp-tongued old ladies.”

Critic Frank Rich of The New York Times praised Smith’s performance in Lettice and Lovage, saying that she could transform a simple line like “Do you have no marmalade?” into a freshly minted epigram by Coward or Wilde.