One of the most popular and well-loved characters in the Harry Potter Universe is Professor Minerva McGonagall—the shape-shifting witch who tried to help save Hogwarts from the impending destruction caused by the infamous Lord Voldemort. The character was brought to life by the seasoned actress Maggie Smith.RELATED: The Real Reason So Many Actors Played Young Voldemort In 'Harry Potter'Now 88, the lady Thespian is quite unhappy with her role in one of the most successful fantasy films of the 21st century. In 2019, one of the stalwarts of British film and theater disclosed to the media some of the reasons why she is quite unsatisfied with her participation as one of the lead roles in the contemporary fantasy classic. The movie made billions of dollars at the worldwide box office, with spin-offs as well.

Maggie Smith Feels That Her Work In Harry Potter Isn't Really Acting

Maggie Smith on The Graham Norton Show
Via: Instar

In a 2019 interview with the British publication Evening Standard Magazine, Dame Maggie Smith said that the role she played in the movie adaptation of J. K. Rowling’s fantasy novel was quite “unsatisfying” since she wasn't acting in the film series at all.

“I am deeply grateful for the work in Potter and, indeed, Downton, but it wasn’t what you’d call satisfying. I didn’t really feel I was acting in those things." Smith said in the Evening Standard.

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But it seems that Smith is not the only one unsatisfied with their work in the J.K. Rowling series. Even the late British actor and director Alan Rickman was unhappy with his role in the Harry Potter series. The late actor, also a bigwig in British theater, played Professor Severus Snape in all the Potter films from 2001 to 2011.

The same Evening Standard article says Rickman called most of the shots in the Harry Potter series “a series of reaction shots.” This is despite the success of the series, which grossed more than $9.7 billion at the box office worldwide.

Does Maggie Smith Dislike Potter Fans?

Maggie Smith on Press Conference for Downton Abbey
Via: Instar

This isn’t the first time that Maggie Smith has been negatively quoted in her interviews about the Harry Potter franchise. This time, it is not about the movie but about the fans. A 2019 Yahoo! article mentioned Smith’s annoyance with Harry Potter fans, particularly kids, who think she really transformed into a cat in the movie. The dame also appears that she is not fond of selfies.

However, this is understandable, knowing the age gap between the seasoned actress and Harry Potter fans. Since the film is well-made, who wouldn’t believe Smith’s shape-shifting ability in the series? Thanks to CGI, magic truly happened in the movie, making every scene real.

RELATED: The Amazing Way Alan Rickman Was Cast As Snape In ‘Harry Potter’

She recalls one funny encounter with a fan. “One kid once said to me, ‘were you really a cat?’” shared Smith during the interview. “And I heard myself say, “Pull yourself together. How could I?” she said, which made the fan laugh. The actress also laughed about the incident before pulling up a serious face.

Maggie Smith's Theater Background May Have Caused Her Unhappy Experience

It should not be misunderstood that Smith was unhappy with her role in the Harry Potter series. But it appears that Smith is only missing her life in the theater where there were no cuts and what the actors did was pure acting.

Unlike in movies, the theater requires all actors—and even those working behind the scenes—to make everything work successfully and beautifully, for there are no take-twos. With her theater background, Smith will always find something missing since editing and CGI often do the trick in creating movies like Harry Potter.

Smith rose to prominence in acting in the 1950s, appearing in more than 70 plays. Because of her acting prowess and huge contribution to the field of theater and the arts, even the late Queen Elizabeth II recognized her contribution to the theater. In 1962, the theater industry recognized her acting prowess, having won her first Evening Standard Theatre Awards for her role in the comedy The Private Ear and The Public Eye by Peter Shaffer.

The movies and television series soon snatched Maggie Smith from the theater’s arms, which honed her acting talent since she was 17 years old. Smith’s last theater stint was in 2007, appearing in The Lady from Dubuque. Originally from the 1980s, the play was written Edward Franklin Albee III and had only a short run at the Morosco Theater.

Her latest theater comeback was in 2019 and has been a blessing since her role in A German Life, a film based on the life of Brunhilde Pomsel, earned her another Evening Standard Theatre Award.

Even theater critics have been elated with her strong comeback after 12 years of absence in British theater. Nevertheless, regardless of what Smith says about her role in the Harry Potter film, she still nailed it, and nobody is befitting for the role of Professor Minerva McGonagall but her.