There Was Nothing Like a Dame: RIP Maggie Smith

By Alex Miller

Dame Maggie Smith passed on 27 September 2024, at age 89. The two-time Oscar winner, with four Emmys to her credit, will likely be best remembered for her work as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the “Harry Potter” film series, and as Violet Crawley, Dowager Duchess of Grantham, in the PBS series “Downton Abbey.”

Born 28 December 1934, acting success was assured, with asteroid Smith conjoined asteroid Academia (for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, which sponsors the Oscars), squared asteroid Actor and trine to asteroid Oskar (alternate spelling of Oscar). Smith’s first Best Actress Oscar came for her portrayal of the title role in 1969’s “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.” When the awards were presented on 7 April 1970, her victory was imaged by asteroid Jeanne (for Jean, her winning role) opposed asteroid Oskar, with asteroid Margret (alternate spelling of Margaret, her birth name) forming a pattern called a T-Square, in a ninety-degree relationship to the others. As well, Oskar in the sky was conjoined asteroid Smith in her birth chart, while asteroid Brody (alternate spelling of Brodie) was squared to asteroid Victoria, named for the Roman goddess of victory.

Smith’s Best Supporting Actress Oscar came for her portrayal of Diana Barrie in the ensemble cast of “California Suite” (1978). Again, Awards night showed her prominent in the sky, with asteroid Smith conjunct asteroid Barry (phonetic match for role surname Barrie), and squared asteroid Oskar, when the awards were presented on 9 April 1979. As with her prior win, asteroid Diana, reflecting her role, was tied to a “winning” energy, squared asteroid Nike, named for the Greek goddess of victory, further cementing the win.

Three of Maggie Smith’s four Emmys came for her work in “Downton Abbey,” as Violet Crawley, Dowager Duchess of Grantham. With asteroid Crowley (for Crawley) opposed asteroid Actor, it’s no surprise she was so strongly identified with the role. And the close conjunction of asteroid Grantham with asteroid Victoria signals the part as Smith’s most successful professionally. This pair is also in sesquiquadrate (a 135-degree aspect) to asteroid Emma (closest to Emmy).

When Maggie Smith passed away on 27 September 2024, asteroid Smith was conjoined by asteroid Atropos, named for the Greek Fate who severs the thread of life at death, and opposed asteroid Anubis, named for the ancient Egyptian deity ruling funerary rites. Smith was also semisquare to a conjunction of the Sun and Mercury, putting her in the spotlight (Sun) and the headlines (Mercury) one final time. As well, asteroid Margret was squared to asteroid Osiris, named for the Egyptian god of the dead, and sesquiquadrate asteroid Actor, as Dame Maggie Smith took her final bow.