​ Was Maggie Smith a Christian?

 Dame Maggie Smith has passed away aged 89. As Sophie Dianne remembers her roles including Mother Superior in Sister Act, she considers the faith of the much-loved actress.

Originally from Essex, she was born in 1934, the youngest of three and named after her mother. When she was four, the family moved to Oxford to be closer to the university where her father worked as a pathologist. Smith would attend the local school until she decided to pursue acting at the age of 16, choosing to enroll at the Oxford Playhouse. Before too long, she made her professional debut in 1952, playing Viola in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

In 1970, Smith received her first Oscar for her portrayal of the idealistic, unorthodox teacher in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. It would be nine years before she’d receive her next award, a BAFTA for her performance in California Suite.