(Photo: Getty Images) 
Have you ever wondered about Father Christmas’ backstory? You’re about to find out with the forthcoming animated movie A Boy Called Christmas, premiering November 24 in the U.S. and November 26 in the U.K. 
And who better to tell the fanatastical story than the fantastic Dame Maggie Smith herself? Smith not only stars in the movie, but also kicks things off by narrating the newly released trailer:

We’re so happy to see Smith on-screen once again and hear her tell this story.
It makes us want to listen to her wax on even more, so we’ve rounded up snippets of her wise words on various topics, from honing her craft to Downton Abbey to keeping it real:
1. On Her Early Days in Acting

Smith talked to The Guardian about getting her start in entertainment and what her plans were for the future, saying, "I wanted to be a serious actress, but of course that didn't really happen. I did Desdemona with great discomfort and was terrified all the time. But then everyone was terrified of Larry."
In regards to “Larry,” she’s referring to Sir Laurence Olivier, who she starred opposite in 1965’s Othello.
2. On Being Recognized in Public

When appearing on The Graham Norton Show, our favorite chat show host asked Dame Maggie, “Is it one of those things, that you thought you were famous, until you were in Downton?” She politely corrects him, that she actually didn’t think she was famous before Downton Abbey. It was only after the smash hit premiered that people started stopping her on the street, with Smith saying, “That’s television for you."
3. On the Buddy System

In an interview with The Telegraph, she talks about how she handles herself when approached by fans, saying, “I don’t go to places and if I do, I nearly always have to have a friend. It’s very difficult when you’re on your own because you have no escape … what do they do, these huge movie stars? What the hell do they do? Perhaps they never go out.”
We’re all about the power of numbers and it’s smart to go out and about with a friend, aka “bodyguard.”
4. On Mixing Things Up

Smith has taken to the stage and starred in TV and film. She shares her thoughts on all three, saying in an interview with The Independent, “Wherever I got the idea that working in film or TV would not be so stressful as the theater, I do not know. It’s an incredibly tough life. Bette Davis was right. Old age is not for sissies and old age is not for television because it is so relentless.”
Dame Maggie Smith is no sissy, so we expect to keep seeing more of her.
5. On Life After Downton Abbey

It’s not just us who think Smith still has a lot of gusto left in her, with CBS Sunday Morning saying of Smith, “This legend of stage and screen is very much in her prime.” In the interview, Smith said of Downton Abbey coming to an end, “I’m going to do all sorts of things, because I’m free.”
In addition to A Boy Called Christmas, we can also look for Smith in A German Life and The Miracle Club. 
6. On Watching Herself On-Screen

In an interview with the BFI, Smith was asked, “Are you one of those actors... are you happy to watch yourself on-screen?” Her answer is not hugely surprising, as she doesn’t seem the type to be self-indulgent, with her saying, “No. No, I really don’t. And, I might be quite startled! I really don’t. I think it’s because you can’t do anything about it. In the theater, at least, you might say, ‘Oh, I can have another go at it tomorrow night.’ But, it’s forever.”
That’s okay. She does the performing, we all can do the watching. 
7. On Keeping it Real 

Smith gained a new generation of fans when cast in the Harry Potter films as Professor Minerva McGonagall. And, from there, she pretty much captured the world’s attention starring as Violet Crawley, Countess of Grantham, in Downton Abbey. Even so, it didn’t seem to have the same impact on her as it did on audiences, with Smith saying to the Evening Standard, “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.”
The above comments leave room for interpretation, but we’ll take it as she’s such a natural that the roles came easy to her.
8. On Tracking Down Her Emmy Award 

This Dame has been nominated for an Emmy Award nine times and nine times she hasn’t attended the ceremony, which Jimmy Kimmel mentioned when hosting the 2016 Academy Awards. When she did in fact win that year, Kimmel confiscated the trophy, announcing to her during the telecast, “If you want this, it will be in the lost and found,” reports Deadline. Smith responded to him via the PBS Twitter page, 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.” 
When someone comes for her, she comes back... in a joking manner, of course. 
9. On Some Healthy Competition

We saw Smith in the 2018 documentary Tea with the Dames, opposite her friends and colleagues Dame Judi Dench, Dame Eileen Atkins and Dame Joan Plowright. In one scene, we hear Dench say, “We’re going to work forever, if we’re asked.” Smith chimes in, “But, you’re always asked first.” Dench tries to defuse the situation, advising her friend, “Don’t turn.” Completely deadpan, Smith gives one more joking jab, replying, “I’m turning on you.”
The ladies turn to champagne, which seems to squelch the faux bickering. 
10. On Maintaining Privacy 

While Smith adores her fans, she’s not so much a fan of selfies. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she elaborates, saying, “What’s awful is it used to be just autographs, but now everyone wants photographs. You begin to feel like all those people who believed photographs took the soul away. There’s nothing like privacy, but nobody will have that soon. Nobody’s private anymore.”
Ah, we don’t blame her. We’ll just look forward to the non-selfie snaps.
Is Dame Maggie Smith on your watch list?