Maggie Smith scored her third Outstanding Supporting Actress Emmy last night for her indelible portrayal of Downton Abbey‘s Dowager Countess. She also took some repeated ribbing from host Jimmy Kimmel. He noted at the top of the show this was the ninth career Emmy nomination for Smith and the ninth time she was a no-show at the ceremony. Referring to her as “Downton absent,” he wondered: “What is wrong with us? Why do we keep nominating this woman?” When Smith ultimately did win, Kimmel stepped in, grabbed the Emmy trophy and said, “If you want this, it will be in the lost and found.”
Smith today responded via the Masterpiece PBS Twitter feed, saying: “I was very astonished and pleased to win the award. I feel the Emmys have been overly generous to me. If Mr Kimmel could please direct me to the lost and found office, I will try and be on the next flight. Love, Old Maggie.” The last line was a reference to Kimmel’s other quip of the night in which he suggested Smith “better hop on a plane right now and get your Dowager Count-ass over here.”
Dame #MaggieSmith graciously accepts her #Emmy award — @jimmykimmel, please advise on the location of the lost and found! #DowntonPBS pic.twitter.com/veQ6shRmxA
— Masterpiece PBS (@masterpiecepbs) September 19, 2016
This was Downton‘s swan song at the Emmys, where it amassed 69 nominations and 13 wins over six years. Smith already was a double Oscar winner and had one Emmy before the series started.
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