Robbie Coltrane, ‘Harry Potter’ & Bond Films Star, Dies At 72

The acclaimed actor Robbie Coltrane, best known for beautifully embodying the half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter film series, died at the age of 72.

His agent confirmed that Coltrane passed away in the Hospital near the town of Falkirk in Scotland.

His agent Belinda Wright did not provide a cause of death in her statement, but said, “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 will miss him.”

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Coltrane’s performance as Hagrid is probably one of the best examples of realizing a well-loved character from a novel in movie form, with his wardrobe, huge stature and line delivery all being spot on. The movies were very well-cast in general, but Hagrid is a long-lasting fan favorite to this day.

Anthony Robert McMillan was born on March 30, 1950 in Rutherglen, Scotland. He was interested in a variety of topics including rugby and arts from a young age, though he later reflected that his boyhood years attending a private school were very traumatic. He even referred to Glenalmond College’s use of corporal punishment as “legalized violence” in one interview.

Coltrane first began acting in the late 1970s, with his first known role being in the original 1978 production of the John Byrne play The Slab Boys in Edinburgh. He found his most success in comedy starting out, working as a writer and performer on sketch shows like The Comic Strip Presents and Alfresco, which also featured future household names like Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson.

He worked extensively in both film and television in the years following Alfresco, expanding into different genres with performances like playing Falstaff in Kenneth Branagh‘s Henry V adaptation and a recurring role as Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky which he played in two James Bond films.

Coltrane even worked as a documentary presenter, mostly in works that were about his love for cars and travel, and sometimes featured him taking a long car journey.

His first appearance as Hagrid came in 2001, and he played the role for a decade until the final film released in 2011. They may be far and away his most popular roles for plenty of people, but the Brits especially loved Coltrane so much as a comic actor and TV superstar as well.

Coltrane is survived by his sister Annie, children Spencer and Alice, and his mother Rhona Gemmell.