Daniel Radcliffe recalls Harry Potter co-star Maggie Smith’s ‘gloriously sharp tongue’

The Harry Potter star remembered first meeting the late actor when he was 9

Daniel Radcliffe has written a heartfelt tribute to his late Harry Potter co-star Dame Maggie Smith, who has died at the age of 89.

Radcliffe played the boy wizard in eight movies from 2001 to 2011, with Smith appearing in all but one of the films as Professor Minerva McGonagall, the head of Gryffindor House and the deputy headmistress at Hogwarts under Albus Dumbledore.

In a statement seen by The Independent, Radcliffe said: “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.

Maggie Smith and Daniel Radcliffe in 2007’s ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ (Warner Bros)

“I will always consider myself amazingly lucky to have been able to work with her, and to spend time around her on set. The word legend is overused but if it applies to anyone in our industry then it applies to her.

“Thank you Maggie.”

Daniel Radcliffe and Dame Maggie Smith (Getty)

Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley in the film franchise, also paid tribute to the “revered head of Gryffindor house.”

“Our dearly loved and revered head of Gryffindor house you will be so missed by the Harry Potter community,” wrote Wright on Instagram.

“My favourite scene with Maggie was when we were all learning to dance for the Yule Ball. She embodied that perfect balance of sass and loving care that McGonagall has. She kept Gryffindors on their toes. My deepest condolences to Maggie’s family at this time.”

Many others have shared tributes and memories of Smith, including King Charles III, the Prime Minister Kier Starmer and her Sister Act co-star Whoopi Goldberg.