Maggie Smith’s final photo was for a glamorous Loewe campaign shoot
· New York PostMaggie Smith’s final photo in a fashion campaign for Loewe has surfaced.
The beloved actress, who died at age 89 on Friday, was named the new face of the luxury fashion house in October 2023.
Smith posed for a series of striking photographs while modeling for the Spanish brand.
In one shot, the “Downton Abbey” star smiled for the camera, wearing an oversized shaggy coat and holding an olive handbag.
Her hair was framed delicately around her face, and she accessorized with rings.
A second shot showed Smith sitting down in a black and white dress, peering into the camera sans smile and holding a maroon handbag.
Smith’s sons, Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, announced the veteran star’s passing in a statement on Friday morning.
“It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.”
Smith was born in Ilford, England, on Dec. 28, 1934, and left behind a long list of accolades, including the iconic stern Professor McGonagall in the eight “Harry Potter” films and the acerbic Dowager Countess of Grantham on “Downton Abbey.”
The Dame also starred in “Sister Act” alongside Whoopi Goldberg. “The View” co-host paid tribute to her fallen co-star in a touching Instagram post.
“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,’” the 68-year-old penned on Instagram. “My heartfelt condolences go out to the family … RIP.”
Goldberg included a photo of herself and Smith from the 1992 hit comedy, with fans flocking to the comments section to share their fond memories of the classic film.
One user wrote, “When people think of her in Harry Potter first, I think of her in Sister Act movies with you first,” while another chimed in, “My favorite line from Maggie Smith was ‘Go with God, Crispy!’”
Rounding out the kind words, a fan commented, “Was hoping she might be in ‘SISTER ACT 3!’ First encountered Maggie in ‘Sister Act.’ RIP.”
Goldberg herself was hoping the same. The talk show host has previously stated that she’d only reprise her role in a potential threequel if Smith did, too.
During a 2023 appearance on the British talk show “Loose Women,” Goldberg said she was “holding the part of Mother Superior” for the “Downton Abbey” star.
“One of the things that I want to make sure I do while I’m here is I want to let Maggie Smith know that I’m holding the part of Mother Superior for you,” the “View” co-host said as she looked directly into the camera. “Because I just can’t do it with anybody but you.”
Goldberg noted that she was ready to do whatever it took to get the “Harry Potter” actress onboard.
“So if you need me to come over here and shoot it and do whatever we have to do, we will do whatever you want us to do,” she added. “But we don’t want to do it without you, Maggie.”
The film follows Deloris Wilson (Goldberg), a lounge singer put in witness protection after seeing a violent murder. She poses as Sister Mary Clarence after being relocated to a convent in San Francisco and continuously butts heads with Smith’s Mother Superior.
The duo reprised their roles in the movie’s sequel “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit” a year later. In 2020, Disney announced there would be a third installment of “Sister Act,” which is set to release on Disney+.
In June, actress Tanya Trotter revealed the “Sister Act 3” script had been completed.
Although she couldn’t share if she would be involved in the third movie, the 47-year-old told Entertainment Tonight that she knew “the script is done.”
And if they called, she’d answer.
As Trotter put it: “Anything that Whoopi Goldberg is a part of — ’cause she’s a legend, she’s an icon, she’s my mentor, hero — yes, I would say yes.”