British actress Dame Maggie Smith, known for her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, passed away on Friday in London at 89.

Her family confirmed her death in a statement by a publicist, according to the New York Times.

However, the cause of her death was not disclosed.

Born Margaret Natalie Smith on December 28, 1934, in Ilford, Essex, England, Smith’s career took off in the 1950s. 

She trained at the Oxford Playhouse and quickly garnered attention for her sharp wit, impeccable timing, and unmatched ability to embody a wide range of characters.

In 1969, Smith achieved global recognition for her Oscar-winning role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, in which she portrayed a fiercely unorthodox Scottish school teacher. 

Smith won a second Academy Award for California Suite in 1978, playing a self-deprecating actress struggling with her insecurities.

She was celebrated for her masterful performances in plays by Shakespeare and other classical works, notably portraying Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra and Desdemona in Othello.

Though her film and stage work were legendary, a younger generation of fans came to know Maggie Smith for her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film series (2001-2011). 

Over the course of her career, Smith received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, four BAFTAs, five Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award. 

She was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990, becoming Dame Maggie Smith.