On 30 October 2015, Smith appeared on BBC's "The Graham Norton Show", her first appearance on a chat show in 42 years. During the show, Smith discussed her appearance in the comedy-drama film "The Lady in the Van" alongside Alex Jennings, which was directed by Nicholas Hytner. The film, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival, received critical acclaim, with Kate Muir of "The Times" praising Smith's performance by writing, "Smith delivers a compelling performance in "The Lady in the Van", as Alan Bennett's play comes to the big screen 15 years after it premiered at the Royal National Theatre." Smith received a Golden Globe Award and British Academy Film Award nominations for her performance.