Dame Judi Dench has recently opened up about losing her close friend Dame Maggie Smith in a heartbreaking moment at at the Cheltenham Literature Festival. A week after Smith’s passing, Dench is feeling the void created by her death.

Maggie Smith died on Friday at the age of 89. The famed British actor had a long and storied career. She initially found success as a theater actor before winning two Academy Awards in the 1970s. She first won Best Actress in 1970 for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie before winning Best Supporting Actress in 1979 for California Suite.

What’s funny is Dench and Smith were friends who also were in multiple films together, and they shared a few filmed conversations over the years, which were priceless. One was a memory of being in “a horse-drawn thing” and the two of them just laugh. The other was teasing Dench for getting all the roles in the United States.

Dame Judi Dench has spoken about her grief after the death of her close friend, fellow Dame Maggie Smith, who passed away last week. The star was asked about Dame Maggie on stage during the Cheltenham Literature Festival by fellow actor Brendan O'Hea.

Asked about grief in an interview at a literary event, Dench remembered her fellow British dame, who died Sept. 27