Maggie Smith

Dame Maggie was born Margaret Nathalie Smith on December 28th, 1934, in Ilford, making her perhaps the world's most famous and most respected Essex Girl. Maggie's mother, Margaret Hutton Little, was Scottish, her father Nathaniel Smith was a native of Newcastle, which is why some have said has been the root cause of Maggie's ability to successfully play some of the most realistic Northern characters. She also has two older brothers, twins Ian and Alistair.
Despite being from an academically inclined family, it wasn't Maggie's calling. At the age of 16, she left to join the Oxford Playhouse School where she received an all around eduction in theatre. Later making her first noted stage debut in the play Twelfth Night in 1952. Over the course of the next few years, Maggie made a name for herself throughout England as a solid actress which eventually lead her to sign up as a charter member of Laurence Olivier's new Royal National Theatre Company in 1963, where she began taking lead roles in such major productions as Othello and Ibsen's The Master Builder.
Throughout the following years, Maggie appeared in many television and motion picture productions besides still appearing onstage - some of her roles garnered her much critical acclaim as well as several award nominations and wins.

Maggie still resides in the UK and is currently best known for her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the highly popular Harry Potter film series.

Movie Credits
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) - Professor Minerva McGonagall
Keeping Mum (2005) - Grace Hawkins
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) - Minerva McGonagall
Ladies in Lavender. (2004) - Janet Widdington
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) - Professor Minerva McGonagall
My House in Umbria (2003) - Mrs. Emily Delahunty
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) - Professor Minerva McGonagall
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002) - Caro Eliza Bennett
Gosford Park (2001) - Constance Trentham
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) - Professor Minerva McGonagall
Curtain Call (1999) - Lily Marlowe
Tea with Mussolini (1999) - Lady Hester Random
Richard III (1995) - Duchess of York
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) - Mother Superior
The Secret Garden (1993) - Mrs. Medlock
Sister Act (1992) - Mother Superior
Hook (1991) - Granny Wendy/Middle-Aged Wendy

... and many more.