"People say it gets better but it doesn't. It just gets different, that's all."
About Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith — Life and Legacy
Maggie Smith is a celebrated British actress whose career spans decades, marked by her profound ability to portray complex characters. Known for her roles in 'Downton Abbey' and 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,' she has captivated audiences with her sharp wit and emotional depth. Smith's quotes often explore themes of identity and resilience, reflecting her own journey through the challenges of fame and aging. For instance, she once remarked, 'The only way to deal with this is to be brave,' which encapsulates her belief in facing life's adversities with courage. This perspective is evident in her performances, where she frequently navigates the intricacies of human relationships and societal expectations. Smith's insights into authenticity and self-acceptance resonate deeply, especially as she articulates the complexities of growing older. Her work continues to inspire, as she challenges norms and encourages others to embrace their true selves, making her voice both relevant and impactful in today's discourse on identity.
Quote collection
Maggie Smith quotes (page 1 of 3)
59 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"I like being outside and working with the elements. The elemental aspects of it. The physicality of it."
"I like the ephemeral thing about theatre, every performance is like a ghost - it's there and then it's gone."
"When you get into the granny era, you're lucky to get anything."
"Listen, I must be 110 by now. Granny is going to kick the bucket at some point."
"I tend to head for what's amusing because a lot of things aren't happy. But usually you can find a funny side to practically anything."
"There is a kind of invisible thread between the actor and the audience, and when it's there it's stunning, and there is nothing to match that."
"I am just surprised to be doing anything at my age actually. When you think of where I am now and where I've come from, I am very pleased and very grateful to be standing up and delivering Julian's great lines."
"Little girls, I am in the business of putting old heads on young shoulders, and all my pupils are the crème de la crème. Give me a girl at an impressionable age and she is mine for life."
"I don't think films about elderly people have been made very much. I think of Cocoon and Driving Miss Daisy. But they always seem to be fairly successful, so it's a bit baffling as to why everybody has to be treated as if they were five-years-old."
"One went to school, one wanted to act, one started to act, and one's still acting."
"An actor is somebody who communicates someone else's words and emotions to an audience. It's not me. It's what writers want me to be."
"The chemotherapy was very peculiar, something that makes you feel much worse than the cancer itself, a very nasty thing. I used to go to treatment on my own, and nearly everybody else was with somebody. I wouldn't have liked that. Why would you want to make anybody sit in those places?"
"I had been feeling a little rum. I didn't think it was anything serious because years ago I felt a lump and it was benign. I assumed this would be too. It kind of takes the wind out of your sails, and I don't know what the future holds, if anything."
"It's true I don't tolerate fools but then they don't tolerate me, so I am spiky. Maybe that's why I'm quite good at playing spiky elderly ladies."
"I said 'It can't go on' and he said 'No, it can't.' Honestly, I don't think I could have mattered less to him by then. But by then, nothing mattered to him."
"Try not to cry too much because it can be pretty heart-breaking and pretty hard."
"I had a very good English teacher who said to me that she thought I ought to do it. She - I don't know, she saw something thank goodness because I think if it hadn't been encouraged by somebody that serious, I'm not sure what would've happened to me."
"Theres a difference between solitude and loneliness"
"Don't be defeatist, dear, it's very middle class."