Actor Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, died aged 72 on Saturday. Coltrane also played a former KGB agent-turned-Russian mafia boss in two James Bond films — “Goldeneye” (1995) and “The World Is Not Enough” (1999) — with Pierce Brosnan.
British actor Daniel Radcliffe, who played the role of Harry Potter, and JK Rowling, the author of Harry Potter books, shared heartfelt tributes remembering the late Coltrane.
Radcliffe said, “Robbie was one of the funniest people I’ve met and used to keep us laughing constantly as kids on the set”.
Coltrane and Radcliffe starred together in all eight ‘Harry Potter’ movies, right from the ‘Sorcerer’s Stone’ in 2001 to ‘Death Hallows – Part 2’ in 2011.
He added, “I’ve especially fond memories of him keeping our spirits up on ‘Prisoner of Azkaban,’ when we were all hiding from the torrential rain for hours in Hagrid’s hut and he was telling stories and cracking jokes to keep morale up. I feel incredibly lucky that I got to meet and work with him and very sad that he’s passed. He was an incredible actor and a lovely man.”
I'll never know anyone remotely like Robbie again. He was an incredible talent, a complete one off, and I was beyond fortunate to know him, work with him and laugh my head off with him. I send my love and deepest condolences to his family, above all his children. pic.twitter.com/tzpln8hD9z
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 14, 2022
Rowling separately honoured Coltrane with a post on Twitter, writing, “I’ll never know anyone remotely like Robbie again. He was an incredible talent, a complete one-off, and I was beyond fortunate to know him, work with him and laugh my head off with him. I send my love and deepest condolences to his family, above all his children.”
On the official James Bond Twitter account, franchise producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, also paid tribute to Coltrane as “an exceptional actor whose talent knew no bounds…
“We shall miss him as a dear friend. Rest in peace Robbie.”
– ‘Depth, power, talent’ –
Robbie Coltrane’s passing is a tragic loss to the world. He was an exceptional actor whose talent knew no bounds. He was beloved to Bond audiences as Valentin Zukovsky in GOLDENEYE and THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH as well as to millions who saw him in his multitude of roles. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/hrEXPMN8UJ
— James Bond (@007) October 14, 2022
Coltrane, who was born Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30, 1950, in Rutherglen, near Glasgow, forged a career as an actor, comedian and writer.
On television, he starred alongside Emma Thompson in the cult BAFTA-winning BBC mini-series “Tutti Frutti” in 1987.
He came to prominence and won more awards for his portrayal of the hard-drinking criminal psychologist Dr Eddie “Fitz” Fitzgerald in the ITV series “Cracker” (1993-2006).
He was the English author and lexicographer Samuel Johnson in the TV comedy series “Blackadder the Third” alongside “Mr Bean” star Rowan Atkinson and Hugh Laurie (“House”).
On the big screen, Coltrane had roles in the 1987 Neil Jordan crime drama “Mona Lisa” and teamed up with former Monty Python star Eric Idle in the 1990 comedy “Nuns on the Run”.
However, he will best be remembered globally as Rubeus Hagrid, the half-giant half-human gamekeeper and Keeper of the Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts school in the film franchise of JK Rowling’s best-selling Harry Potter books.
Coltrane is survived by his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell.
No cause of death was given, but his agent Belinda Wright thanked the medical staff at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, central Scotland, “for their care and diplomacy”.
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