Celebrity
Harry Potter Actor Robbie Coltrane Has Died
Robbie’s cause of death hasn’t been revealed, but he had battled with pain from Osteoarthritis.
Robbie Coltrane, the loveable half-giant Hagrid in the Potter film franchise, has sadly passed away at 72. The screen icon, who also played a detective in the crime drama series Cracker and James Bond films, The World Is Not Enough and GoldenEye, spent his final days at the Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Scotland.
The Scottish-born landed the role of Rubeus Hagrid in the film adaption of J.K Rowling’s hit book series, Harry Potter.
And as the Potter franchise ended, Robbie has only starred in a few films, such as a voice role in Great Expectations in 2012 and Effie in 2012, where he acted as a doctor.
The limited roles resulted from his ill health, which has declined since 2016 as he battled near-constant pain from Osteoarthritis. In 2019, Robbie was pictured looking frail in a wheelchair when he launched Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike ride at Universal Orlando.
Another prominent role of the actor was when he played a TV comedian accused of raping a 15-Year-Old in National Treasure, a four-part television drama on Channel 4.
“Robbie was a unique talent, sharing the Guinness Book of Records Award for winning three consecutive Best Actor Baftas for his portrayal of Fitz in Granada TV’s series Cracker in 1994, 1995, and 1996 with Sir Michael Gambon. He will probably be best remembered for decades to come as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films,” Robbie’s agent, Belinda Wright, said in a tribute as she announced the death.
He added: “A role which brought joy to children which brought joy to children and adults alike all over the world, prompting a stream of fan letters every week for over 20 years.”
Wright claimed that James Bond fans also write to applaud his role in GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough. He continued: For me personally, I shall remember him as an abidingly loyal client. As well as being a wonderful actor, he was forensically intelligent, brilliantly witty, and after 40 years of being proud to be called his agent, I shall miss him.”
Robbie is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children, Spencer and Alice, and their mother, Rhona Gemmell.
The family has since thanked the medical staff at the Forth Valley Royal Hospital for their care, diplomacy, and Robbie’s cause of death hasn’t been revealed.
After the announcement, Stephen Fry, Daniel Radcliffe, and J.K Rowling led the stars to pay tribute. Radcliffe remembered Robbie as one of the funniest people and an incredible actor. The actor who worked closely with him throughout the eight films shared fond memories from the set, saying: “Robbie was one of the funniest people I’ve met and used to keep us laughing constantly as kids on set.”
Radcliffe 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.”
Mathew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom, has also paid tribute to the actor. He wrote: “Robbie. Bobser. He called me Space Boy. We shared a love of the final frontier. He didn’t give a f**k, and it always made you smile. A giant in more ways than one. We had some times x.” Fans also took to social media as one wrote: “Robbie Coltrane was a legend, a great actor and a funny guy.”
Author J.K Rowling paid tribute to Robbie by sharing this touching moment of them holding hands at a dinner table.
Stephen Fry, who starred with Robbie in the comedy series Alfresco wrote that the icon would be so dreadfully missed.
James Phelps, who starred alongside Robbie as Fred Weasley in the Potter, recalled his first memory of the actor.
Oliver Phelps shared how he and Robbie had, over the years, had some great chats about history and travel.
J.K Rowling had Robbie at the top of her list to play Hagrid, and when asked whom she would like to see in the role, she responded, ‘Robbie Coltrane for Hagrid’ in one quick breath. During the Potter twenty-year reunion special, Robbie reflected on the film’s legacy, stating: “The legacy of the movies is that my children’s generation will show them to their children so that you could watch it in 50 years’ time, easy. I will not be here sadly, but Hagrid will, yes.”
