She’s been busy promoting the recent Downton Abbey film, but celebrated English actress Dame Maggie Smith managed to free up some time over the weekend to pay tribute to her fellow thespians.
Maggie Smith was all smiles as she made an elegant appearance at the 65th Evening Standard Theatre Awards at the London Coliseum on Sunday.
The 84-year-old showed that you can’t go wrong by keeping things simple, wearing a loose, silky black suit with a soft scarf draped over it, paired with a classic black clutch and matching boots. Her silver-grey hair was blown into a soft bob, while a diamond pendant was her only nod to some glitz.
Maggie’s appearance came after months of promotional duties for the hit movie Downton Abbey. Set in 1926 – one year after the final episode of the popular TV series of the same name – the movie picked up where the TV series left off.
There are grand balls, a secret kiss between Thomas Barrow – who came out towards the end of the TV series – and a mystery man, Lady Edith’s return and even a bombshell from Lady Mary as she appears to hint she’s considering leaving the abbey behind for good.
It was revealed in October that there could be another movie in the pipeline. Speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival last month, the film’s producer Gareth Neame said that the success of the film meant a follow-up could be on the cards.
“We said before it came out that if the fans enjoy it and people come and see it, then maybe there could be another one,” he said, according to The Telegraph. “And I’m pleased to say it’s doing really well.”
The Downton Abbey movie reached number one at box offices in the UK, Ireland and the US and Neame said that any sequel could come with a twist.
“There is a big matter at the end of the film that takes us in a slightly different direction,” he hinted to The Telegraph.
Meanwhile, Dame Maggie wasn’t just at the Evening Standards awards at the weekend to honour fellow actors and actresses. She also took out the best actress award for the fifth time, this time for her performance as the secretary of Nazi propaganda boss Joseph Goebbels in the play A German Life.
Playing Brunhilde Pomsel marked the actress’ return to the stage for the first time in 12 years. The Guardian calls her performance, which involves her remaining seated as she plays an aged Brunhilde recalling her experiences, a triumph.
“While watching Jonathan Kent’s production and Smith’s superb performance, we surrender to the power of the moment and the evocation of a time when lies became truth,” The Guardian review said.