Maggie Smith, actress: Women's Impact Report 2012: Creatives (CHICAGO TRIBUNE)

Variety Staff
Variety
3:05 a.m. CDT, October 5, 2012

Smith clearly never got the memo that said actresses after a certain age should just fade gracefully into the scenery. At 77, she has arguably become a bigger star than at any time in her career, thanks not only to her unique talent, but also to her work ethic and astute choice of roles. From the Dowager Countess of Grantham to Professor Minerva McGonagall, from a racist housekeeper in "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" to a retired diva in her latest pic "Quartet," she has cornered the market in formidable dames with an acid tongue and a heart of gold, whether they are grand aristocrats or salt-of-the-earth commoners. And it's box office and TV ratings gold. Perhaps uniquely for a character actress in her age bracket, her presence in a project drives international pre-sales and co-production deals, particularly in the U.S. and Australia.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-201210041830reedbusivarietynvr1118059860-20121004,0,6411625.story