Maggie Smith - Premiere Magazine

EVERYONE’S FAVORITE DAME CLEARS A FEW THINGS UP: SHE NEVER WANTED TO BE A SEX GODDESS, SHE’S NOT A BITCH, AND SHE’S NOT 92.

CONGRATULATIONS—AFTER NEARLY 50 MOVIES, TWO OSCARS, COUNTLESS STAGE APPEARANCES, AND A TITLE FROM THE QUEEN, YOU’RE NOW A PLASTIC ACTION FIGURINE AS HARRY POTTER’S PROFESSOR McGONAGALL. MUST MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE REALLY ARRIVED, HUH?
No, I’ll tell you when I really thought I’d made it: You know those big advertisements on the side of a bus? Well, I can actually be seen on a London bus in a witch’s hat. I’ve always thought THAT was stardom.

NO, STARDOM IS THE WAY YOUR ACID-TONGUED CONSTANCE STEALS ROBERT ALTMAN’S GOSFORD PARK FROM PRACTICALLY EVERY BIG-DEAL BRIT ACTOR ALIVE. STILL, YOU’VE NEVER REALLY PURSUED HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITY, HAVE YOU?
Mmm, to speak truth, I don’t think I’d be doing this [interview] if it weren’t for Bob Altman—I’d do ANYTHING for him. You see, it's

amazing how frightened you are when you’re filming—somebody shouts “Action!” and you go paralyzed with terror—but he’s so calm and in command that he eased you in so it seemed natural. He’s wonderful.

FUNNY, YOU SPEAKING OF ON-SET TERROR, BECAUSE THE MAGGIE SMITH PERSONA IS ONE OF OLYMPIAN SELF-ASSURANCE. BUT WAS MICHAEL CAINE CORRECT WHEN HE ONCE SAID, “SHE’S SUPREMELY UNSELF-CONFIDENT”?
That’s very true! But then again, who isn’t? Christ, how the hell could you BE any other way?! You say, “Oh, my God, I envy that person because they’re so confident,” but they’re probably not, they’re just good at LOOKING like that.

AS YOU CERTAINLY ARE.
But that’s part of the deal—if you have to act those kind of people, then that’s what you do. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that that’s what you’re like. I think people get confused and that’s a compliment—if they THINK you’re deeply unpleasant like Constance, it means you’ve done it quite well.

OKAY, BUT IN REAL LIFE, ARE YOU EVER THAT BITCH WE LOVE TO HATE?
Probably most of the time. [laughs] At some point I’ve got to get one of these really NICE people to play so that [the public] might change their minds a bit.

WELL, SPIELBERG DID CAST YOU AS A KINDLY WENDY IN HOOK.
It’s funny, I was just talking to somebody about that film. I was saying—because I do play all these old people—how my great friend Anthony Powell, the costume designer, was asked by Spielberg, “How old IS Maggie Smith?” and Anthony, without blinking an eye, said, “Ninety-two.” Which is NOT a compliment. [laughs]

NO, YOU’RE BUT A SCANT 67. STILL, YOU’VE ALMOST ALWAYS PLAYED MUCH OLDER THAN YOU ARE.
Always. When people graduate they usually play mothers, but I played GRANDMOTHERS instantly. [laughs] You know somebody thought it was a good idea to cast me as a very old bat, and that’s what I’ve been ever since. I don’t mind, but it is interesting that one is always playing mean old bats—mean old bats in WIGS.

SO DID YOU EVER WANT TO BE THE SEX GODDESS?
[huge laugh] No—that’s the answer to that! I realized that was stretching the talent TOO far. [still laughing] That’s why I clung to the 92-year-olds so early in my career!

AND LOOK WHERE IT GOT YOU—YOU’RE A BONA FIDE DAME.
Well, as Jude [Judi Dench] says, “I feel the same—I still say rude things and swear a lot.” But it does make you feel older, because it only happens when you get to a certain age. The people you looked up to when you were starting out, like Dame Edith Evans, you thought were 105. Then you find yourself up there and you think, “Holy shit!—it’s because one IS so old!”

OH, PLEASE YOU LOOK GREAT.
[rolls eyes] You’re just used to seeing those old bats, my dear.

FINE, LAST QUESTION. YOU’VE ACTED WITH JUDI DENCH AND YOU’VE ACTED WITH WHOOPI GOLDBERG. IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE?
[laughs] No, very similar, ‘cause Jude and I laughed, and Whoopi and I laughed. It’s all the same, you know—it’s all just [sly smiles] foolin’ around.