Daniel Radcliffe expresses his sincere gratitude to Harry Potter co-star Maggie Smith

Shortly after the death of legendary actress Maggie Smith, Daniel Radcliffe took time to honor the late “Harry Potter” co-star, who died on Friday at the age of 89.

The two actors were veterans of the magical film series, as Radcliffe played the title role in all eight films, while Smith appeared in every “Harry Potter” film except “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1,” in which he Professor Minerva McGonagall portrayed , the head of Gryffindor House and the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts under Albus Dumbledore.

Radcliffe described his late Downton Abbey co-star and the Countess of Grantham as people of “fierce intellect” and remembered her as a “legend” in a statement shared with Variety.

“The first time I met Maggie Smith I was 9 years old and we were reading through scenes for 'David Copperfield,' which was my first job. “I knew virtually nothing about her except that my parents were impressed by the fact that I would be working with her,” recalls Radcliffe. “The other thing I knew about her was that she was a lady, so the first thing I asked her when we met was, 'Would you like me to call you a lady?' at which she laughed and said something to the effect of, 'Don't be ridiculous!'”

“I remember being nervous about meeting her and then her immediately putting me at ease,” he continued. “She was incredibly kind to me on that shoot and then I was lucky enough to work with her on the Harry Potter films for another ten years.”

“She had a fierce intellect, a wonderfully sharp tongue, could intimidate and charm at the same time and, as anyone will tell you, was extremely funny,” Radcliffe, 35, added. “I will always consider myself very lucky to have been able to work with her and spend time with her on set. The word “legend” gets thrown around a lot, but if it applies to someone in our industry, then it applies to them too. “Thank you, Maggie.”

Smith's role in Harry Potter began in 2001 with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. A series of sequels followed, with Smith's role lasting a decade, making her a recognizable face among the younger generation of Harry Potter fans.

As previously reported, Smith's sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens announced the sad news in a statement that Smith died in a London hospital early Friday.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith. She passed away peacefully in hospital this morning, Friday September 27th. A very private person, she ended up with friends and family. She leaves behind two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother,” the statement said.