Whoopi Goldberg is throwing down a heartfelt goodbye to her legendary former co-star Maggie Smith—but in true Whoopi fashion, it’s got just the right mix of love and sparkle.
On a bleary Friday morning (Sept. 27), the world collectively clutched its pearls when Maggie Smith, the queen of Hogwarts and sass herself, was reported to have joined the Great Cast in the Sky. Maggie’s two sons confirmed she had passed at the age of 89, which officially means she lived longer than any cat that ever existed. Take that, feline mythology!
Naturally, Whoopi Goldberg—queen of quips and all things Sister Act—wasn’t about to let this moment slide by without giving a nod to her co-star. So what does Whoopi do? She hops on Instagram, like any good friend in the 21st century, to pay tribute in the classiest way possible—thumbs blazing over her iPhone screen.
“Maggie Smith was a great woman and a brilliant actress. I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to work with the ‘one-of-a-kind,’” Whoopi typed, no doubt with a little tear and a lot of emoji in her heart. “My heartfelt condolences go out to the family… RIP.”
You can just picture Whoopi’s mind flashing back to 1992, when she and Maggie first shared the screen in Sister Act—where Maggie was the straight-laced, no-nonsense Mother Superior, and Whoopi was basically the loudest nun to ever grace a convent. Sparks flew. Habits were questioned. Whoopi’s funky dancing forever changed the way we all imagined nuns.
Then, of course, they reunited for the sequel Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit—a title so cheesy it deserves its own slice of pizza. But Maggie was there, stoic as ever, probably giving Whoopi a side-eye that said, “Seriously, we’re doing this again?”
And now, with Maggie’s passing, the world is just a little less magical. But somewhere, in a heavenly choir, we’re pretty sure Maggie’s cracking a smile at Whoopi’s tribute, giving that signature look of hers that said, “Don’t make a fuss, darling. I’ve got things to do in the afterlife.”
Our thoughts and hearts are with Maggie Smith’s family and anyone who’s ever laughed, cried, or immediately considered becoming a nun after watching Sister Act. Rest easy, Dame Maggie. Keep those afterlife angels in line.