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Robbie Coltrane, the actor most famously known as the massive Hagrid from the Harry Potter franchise, has died at age 72.
His death was confirmed in a statement from his agent Belinda Wright, obtained by The Daily Mail. The statement read, “My client and friend Robbie Coltrane OBE passed away on Friday, October 14. 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.”
Wright continued, “He will probably be best remembered for decades to come as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, a role which brought joy to children and adults alike all over the world, prompting a stream of fan letters every week for over 20 years.” She added that Coltrane will be remembered as “an abidingly loyal client” and “a wonderful actor.”
The statement concluded with: “He was forensically intelligent, brilliantly witty and after 40 years of being proud to be called his agent, I shall miss him. He is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell. They would like to thank the medical staff at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert for their care and diplomacy. Please respect Robbie’s family’s privacy at this distressing time.”
Coltrane was born as Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30, 1950 in Scotland. He adopted his stage name in his early 20s as tribute to jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane. The late actor starred in a stage production of John Byrne’s The Slab Boys in 1978, ahead of his shift to film and television. He went on to star the British comedy series The Comic Strip Presents… and Alfresco, where he acted alongside various big-names, including Emma Thompson, Stephen Fry, and Nigel Planer.
In 1995, Coltrane made his James Bond debut as Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky in GoldenEye and, later, reprised the character in The World Is Not Enough. Two years, he booked the role of Rubeus Hagrid in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, which he held until the final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, in 2011.
Additional credits including starring in 2004’s Ocean’s Twelve, 2012’s Brave, and 2016’s British drama National Treasure (which earned him a British Academy Television Award nomination for Best Actor).
His last credited role is HBO Max’s 2022 special, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts.
