Robbie Coltrane, the Scottish actor known for bringing Hagrid to life in the “Harry Potter” film franchise, has died, TheWrap has confirmed. He was 72.
Coltrane is perhaps best known for his role in all eight “Harry Potter” films as Rubeus Hagrid, spending a decade bringing the gentle giant to life on the big screen.
Coltrane also starred as Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky in the James Bond films “GoldenEye” and “The World Is Not Enough.” His filmography also includes “Nuns on the Run,” “Ocean’s Twelve” and “Mona Lisa.”
In addition to his memorable film roles, the comedian also starred on the small screen as forensic psychologist Dr Edward ‘Fitz’ Coltrane in the drama series “Cracker.” He notched three consecutive BAFTA best actor wins for the role.
In 2021, Coltrane reminisced about the legacy of “Harry Potter” for HBO Max’s “Return to Hogwarts” 20th anniversary special.
“The legacy of the movies is that my children’s generation will show them to their children,” he said tearfully at the time. “So you could be watching it in 50 years’ time, easy. I’ll not be here, sadly, but… Hagrid will, yes.”
Following the news of Coltrane’s death, tributes began to pour in for the beloved actor. Stephen Fry, who narrated the UK editions of the “Harry Potter” series and worked with Coltrane on several projects, wrote a heartfelt statement on Twitter.
“I first met Robbie Coltrane almost exactly 40 years ago. I was awe/terror/love struck all at the same time,” he said. “Such depth, power & talent: funny enough to cause helpless hiccups & honking as we made our first TV show, “Alfresco”. Farewell, old fellow. You’ll be so dreadfully missed.”
