Dame Judi reveals apple tribute to Maggie Smith

Dame Judi Dench, a renowned actress, has recently opened up about a heartfelt tribute she created for her dear friend and fellow actress, Dame Maggie Smith, who passed away in September at the age of 89. Dame Judi has a unique way of honoring her friends who have died; she plants individual trees in their memory. On the day of Dame Maggie's funeral, her gardener discovered a small crab apple that had grown from the sapling she had planted in honor of her friend. In an interview with the BBC, Dame Judi shared, 'Joe, who works for me, came in and he had one little crab apple. And so I had it in my pocket at her funeral, which was a very nice thing to have. ' This touching moment was part of a tribute program titled Maggie Smith at the BBC, which is set to air on December 28. The friendship between Dame Judi and Dame Maggie began in 1957 when they first met in a dressing room at The Old Vic theatre. Over the years, they collaborated on various projects, including the film A Room With A View in 1985, Ladies in Lavender in 2004, and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in 2011, along with its sequel, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, in 2015. Their bond grew stronger as they shared both the stage and screen, creating memorable moments that fans cherish. In a separate interview for the BBC's Lives Well Lived series, which will also be broadcast on December 28, their mutual friend Charles Dance reflected on how fortunate he felt to work with such talented actresses. He recalled, 'I had Judi Dench and Maggie Smith - I could have shot the telephone directory with those two. ' He reminisced about the playful chemistry between them, describing a scene where they were running up the stairs together, with Judi trying to get ahead of Maggie, who humorously exclaimed, 'stop pushing me, stop pushing me! ' This lighthearted interaction showcases the fun they had while working together. Dame Maggie Smith was celebrated not only for her incredible comedic timing but also for her sharp wit, which she often displayed through her characters, such as Lady Grantham in Downton Abbey and Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter. Samantha Bond, who also starred in Downton Abbey, mentioned that new actors sometimes found it challenging to differentiate between Dame Maggie and the sharp-tongued character she portrayed. She said, 'I think, perhaps, they got confused about whether she was the actor or whether she was the dowager. ' Dame Judi Dench concluded her thoughts on Dame Maggie by saying, 'Oh, she could be very scary. No question, she could be quite frightening. Get on the wrong side of Mags… But, oh, we had such good times. ' Dame Judi has known Dame Maggie for many years and described her as 'very, very funny and unbelievably witty and formidable. ' She also emphasized that Dame Maggie was a 'really, really sweet and special friend. ' The first episode of Lives Well Lived will delve into the extensive and illustrious career of Dame Maggie Smith, celebrating her contributions to stage, film, and television.