The Wizarding World of Harry Potter boasts endless lovable and amazing characters that have been stealing hearts for over 27 years. One such character is Minerva McGonagall, played in the films by the great Dame Maggie Smith.
As the Potter fandom and the entire film industry mourn the loss of the esteemed actress, who passed away peacefully on Sept. 27, 2024, there’s no better way to honor her than to look back at some of the most remarkable performance she’s given over the years. Smith has been in countless critically acclaimed productions across her seven-decade career and rightly received two Oscars, five BAFTAs, four Emmys, three Golden Globes, and a Tony for her body of work.
However, it was her role in the Potter films as Minerva McGonagall ⏤ the Transfiguration professor, head of Gryffindor House, and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts ⏤ that put her front and center with the younger generation. Smith’s McGonagall wasn’t just “bloody brilliant,” to quote a one Ronald Weasley, but a unique and comforting character study given how seamlessly she slid into the role. Smith masterfully crafted her character scene by scene, revealing not only a strict exterior, but moments of humanity wherein Minerva’s more loving nature shone through. Here are some of her most iconic moments as the fan-favorite character, the bounty of which will never be forgotten thanks to the enduring power of film.
10. When she punishes her students only to praise them
In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Hermione’s bathroom encounter with the rogue troll prompts Harry and Ron to spring into action and protect her. Initially, McGonagall is disappointed to find the First Years battling a “fully-grown mountain troll” on their own and scolds Hermione before deducting a few Gryffindor House points. However, she then rewards Harry and Ron with points for “sheer dumb luck.” It’s moments like this that make us really love McGonagall, and Smith’s ability to juggle the stern professor with the impressed onlooker perfectly illustrates the depth of her acting powers.
9. When she acknowledges that it’s always the Golden Trio getting into trouble
By the time Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince rolls around, McGonagall is beyond tired of Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s shenanigans. After Katie Bell is cursed during a trip to Hogsmeade, the friends find themselves facing McGonagall once again, who this time does not hold back from voicing what every viewer is thinking. “Why is it when something happens, it is always you three?” she wonders. With a comedic undertone that only Smith could deliver, one can’t help but chuckle given how accurate her assertion is.
8. Forcing Ron to dance with her
Professor McGonagall is not the first character you’d expect to find front and center at a Hogwarts ball, and yet in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, we quickly learn that her talents are not exclusive to transforming teacups into mice. Ahead of the Yule Ball, she informs the Gryffindors that they will partake in “well-mannered frivolity” in the form of a formal dance. To demonstrate how they’ll want to let their bodies breathe on the dance floor, she enlists the help of Ronald Weasley and even invites him to put his hand on her waist. Minerva. She might be strict, but sweetie, she’s got sauce, and it’s clear that Smith takes full advantage of this lighter moment for her typically serious character.
7. When she stands up to Umbridge
There are very few who stand up to Delores Umbridge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but McGonagall is one of them, and our girl does it twice. When Umbridge decides to fire Professor Trelawney and kicks her out of Hogwarts, it’s Minerva who comes to Sybil’s aid. She also stands up for her students and questions Delores’ teaching methods when no one else dares. Minerva is nothing if not strong, and Smith’s ability to layer that with flashes of vulnerability is what makes her performances in the Potter films so consistently believable.
6. Her unparalleled Transfiguration skills
There’s nothing like an impressive bit of wizardry, and as a master of Transfiguration, McGonagall is always able to impress students and viewers alike anytime she pulls out her want. When Harry and Ron arrive late for their first class in Sorcerer’s Stone, they’re relieved to see that she isn’t there only to watch the cat on McGonagall’s desk turn into McGonagall herself. This instantly iconic moment shows that she’s not just good at turning one thing into another, but she’s also an Animagus, something Harry will learn more about in his third year. In a word, McGonagall is fierce, and Smith had a way of incorporating that feline energy into every scene she appeared in.
5. When she refuses to hold back her sass
Right after transforming from the cat into her human form, Ron remarks that McGonagall’s spectacle was “bloody brilliant.” She thanks him for “that assessment,” but isn’t impressed by his compliment. Instead, she toys with the idea of turning him and Harry into pocket watches so they arrive on time, or better yet, a map so they can find their way through Hogwarts with greater ease. This is only one moment wherein Minerva’s sass is on full display, and it quickly teaches our First Years that they’ll have to either be top-notch students or risk her recurring wrath. Smith’s execution and delivery of these snappy, snarky lines is exactly why she was cast as McGonagall in the first place, and it’s something she was able to keep impressively consistent over the course of eight films.
4. “Babbling, bumbling band of baboons”
Just like dancing, humor isn’t at the top of McGonagall’s resume, but it’s on there nonetheless. When she explains the purpose of the Yule Ball to the Gryffindors ⏤ which will reunite the three schools participating in the Triwizard Tournament ⏤ she also offers the warning to her students to not to behave “like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons.” This instantly becomes an alliterative challenge for the Weasley twins and importantly demonstrates how adept Smith was at balancing humor with McGonagall’s signature austerity.
3. When she’s the only one with common sense
When discussing whether or not Harry should compete in the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, McGonagall is dumbfounded by Dumbledore’s suggestion that he participate. “The devil with Barty and his rules,” she says, referring to the Ministry of Magic official who says that because Harry’s name came out of the Goblet, the decision must be honored. “Potter is a boy, not a piece of meat,” McGonagall insists, but the men in the room aren’t convinced. Smith’s delivery in the scene broadcasts the motherly side of Minerva’s character, and even though she’s overruled by Dumbledore, it’s refreshing as a viewer to know that at least someone in the room has Harry’s best interests at heart. Starting with her very first appearance at the beginning of Sorcerer’s Stone, Smith consistently lent McGonagall a motherly presence in Harry’s life that made fans happy she was always around to keep an eye on him.
2. When she goes full-blown lioness and duels with Snape
In one of those heart-pounding moments that makes you want to stand up and cheer, Minerva McGonagall unleashes her inner jungle cat in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ⏤ Part 2 when she pushes Harry out of the way and takes a stand against newly-appointed Headmaster Severus Snape. Let’s just come out and say it: McGonagall is a BEAST in this moment, and it comes as such a surprise that Snape wavers for a moment, even lowering his wand like he can’t bring himself to duel with his Hogwarts compatriot. McGonagall doesn’t engage in many magical battles in the series, so her taking a stand in this way is a pure fan service moment, and Smith’s silent ferocity as she stands up for her students demonstrates that she doesn’t need dialogue to command a scene or even steal it.
1. “I’ve always wanted to use that spell!”
Easily the most iconic line Professor McGonagall has ever uttered, this moment also occurs during Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2. As the battle against Voldemort begins, McGonagall uses the spell “Piertotum Locomotor” to awaken the Hogwarts suits of armor so they can help the witches and wizards defend the castle against their enemies. McGonagall’s seriousness while performing the spell is immediately juxtaposed by the childlike giddiness that follows when she turns to Molly Weasley and says she’s “always wanted to do that spell.” It’s another one of those moments that makes you love Minerva all over again, and it’s underlined by the emotional weight of her taking Dumbledore’s place after driving Snape out of the castle. The glee Smith lends this moment gives the audience a necessary laugh before the biggest battle of the entire series and further demonstrates the dimensionality and faithfulness to the source material she lent the beloved character.
Published: Sep 27, 2024 04:15 pm