Maggie Smith, the beloved British actress who passed away at the age of 87, opened up about how her role in Downton Abbey brought her a surge of fame in her later years. In an interview with The Guardian in 2013, Smith shared that she was ‘astonished’ by the attention she received for her portrayal of Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham. She admitted that she had not expected such a late-career success and was grateful for the opportunity to work on the show. Smith’s performance in Downton Abbey earned her critical acclaim and multiple award nominations.
