Maggie Smith's son reflects on late mom, remembers humility: 'Just like all of us'
Actor Toby Stephens is opening up after the death of his mother Dame Maggie Smith in September at the age of 89.
The actor, who is set to star in episodes of BBC’s "The Split" this month, shared his thoughts on losing his mother, a revered Academy Award-winning actress, in an interview with The Telegraph published on Sunday.
"It’s been tough," Stephens told the outlet. "She had been ill for a while and it was very hard to see that. But she was in her 90th year, she’d had a really good innings."
Stephens told the Telegraph after her death was announced earlier this year, the outpouring of support was "moving."
"It’s been incredibly moving for my family to see how universally loved and admired she was," he said.
Stephens added that the love and support the family felt in the wake of his mother’s death may not have been believed by his mother in life.
"That was something she never really allowed herself to believe. She was just like all of us, she didn’t have that self-confidence."
Having appeared in more than 50 films, Smith was considered one of Britain's best known actresses and was beloved by recent generations for her roles as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the "Harry Potter" films and the Dowager Countess of Grantham on television's "Downton Abbey."
Stephens, who is the son of Smith and her husband, actor Robert Stephens, has put together a prolific career in film and television playing Gustav Graves in James Bond’s "Die Another Day," and appearing in titles such as "Lost in Space" "One Day" and more.
Smith is survived by her two sons Chris Larkin and Stephens.
