Tributes pour in for Downton Abbey and Harry Potter actor Maggie Smith, who has died at 89

Dame Maggie Smith has passed away, and heartfelt tributes are pouring in for the late actor.

Though her career spanned some 50 years, Smith was perhaps best known by younger generations for her roles as Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film franchise. She also starred in the 1992 hit comedy Sister Act, the British romantic drama A Room with a View, and played Wendy Darling in Steven Spielberg's cult classic fantasy film Hook. Over the span of her career, she won two Academy Awards, five BAFTA Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, four Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award.

"Saddened to hear Dame Maggie Smith has passed. I had the unforgettable experience of working with her; sharing a two-shot was like being paired with a lion," Rob Lowe wrote. "She could eat anyone alive, and often did. But funny, and great company. And suffered no fools. We will never see another. God speed, Ms. Smith!"

"We've lost one the [sic] best today. RIP Maggie Smith," Omid Djalili tweeted.

"Maggie Smith was a great woman and a brilliant actress. I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to work with the ‘one-of-a-kind'", Whoopi Goldberg wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of her and Smith on set of Sister Act."My heartfelt condolences go out to the family…RIP."

"Our dearly loved and revered head of Gryffindor house, you will be so missed by the Harry Potter community," Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter franchise,  via Instagram. "My favorite 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."

"Maggie Smith was a truly great actress and we were more than fortunate to be part of the last act in her stellar career. She was a joy to write for, subtle, many-layered, intelligent, funny and heart-breaking. Working with her has been the greatest privilege of my career, and I will never forget her," Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter).