Within an hour of the announcement of Maggie Smith's death, a gay friend of mine sent me a link to a video of her on a British TV talk show in the 1970s, reading a poem. That's all she was doing, just reading a poem from a book of poems. Under hot lights in front of a studio audience primed for joking and laughter.

All the laughing and joking faded, within seconds really, as she wrung out depths of meaning and emotion, conveying it with her voice and those eyes.

It was a truly remarkable moment that showcased the heights of her powers.

And I think it's a testament to her popularity with gay men that the friend who sent me that link is not yet middle-aged.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and some of her acting history that I was unfamiliar with.