The death of Robbie Coltrane, who played the lovable half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in the “Harry Potter” franchise, was confirmed on Friday by his agency, WME, to Variety. He was 72.
Coltrane played Harry Potter in all eight films, beginning with 2001's “Sorcerer's Stone” and ending with 2011's “Death Hallows -Part 2,” and was widely praised for his portrayal of the iconic character from J.K. Rowling's books.
In the very first scene, he tells a young Daniel Radcliffe, “Yer a wizard, Harry,” marking the beginning of Harry's adventures in the wizarding world.
Hagrid, a towering giant with a sensitive side, was responsible for the care of some of the most vicious and recognizable beasts in the “Harry Potter” universe. Radcliffe remembered working with Coltrane on the “Potter” set and paid respect to their time together. I remember him lifting our spirits on “Prisoner of Azkaban” exceptionally well.
What happened to Robbie Coltrane?
Wright released a statement saying, “My client and friend Robbie Coltrane OBE passed away on Friday, October 14. Robbie was a one-of-a-kind performer; he and Sir Michael Gambon are the only two people to ever win Best Actor Baftas in successive years for their roles as Fitz in the Granada TV series Cracker (1994, 1995, and 1996).
He received hundreds of emails from fans every week for more than 20 years because of his part as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, which made people of all ages happy. His portrayals of James Bond in GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough has also garnered praise from Bond aficionados.
His loyalty as a client was unwavering, and I will always appreciate that. After 40 years of being honored to be named his agent, I will miss not only his superb acting but also his forensic intelligence and sharp wit. His sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice, and their mom Rhona Gemmell are all still here to remember him. They appreciate the kindness and professionalism of the doctors and nurses at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert. As they go through this difficult period, please give Robbie's family some space.
It has not yet been determined what caused his death. According to Deadline, he “had been sick for the past two years” and died in a hospital near his home in Larbert, Scotland.
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Tribute
Coltrane has also been in movies like Ocean's Twelve (2004) and the James Bond movies GoldenEye (1995) and The World Is Not Enough (1999). He has also been on the TV show Cracker. Coltrane's IMDB page says that he was in 114 movies over the course of a career that lasted more than four decades.
During his career, he also won a number of awards, such as several British Academy Television Awards and BAFTA Awards. He was also given an OBE by Queen Elizabeth in 2006.
Hagrid, played by Coltrane, is the keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts. He is the first person Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) meets from the Wizarding World on his 11th birthday before he goes to Hogwarts. He becomes a sort of mentor for the boy wizard.
In the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special that aired on HBO Max earlier this year, Coltrane talked about his time as Hagrid in the movies from 2001 to 2011.
“It just seems like the end of an era to me. It's been 10 years of my life, and during that time, my kids have grown up “he said.
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“The movies will live on because my children will show them to their children,” he said in the special. “You could very well be watching it in 50 years.”
“Sad to say, I won't be here, but Hagrid will be. Yes, “Coltrane added.
J.K. Rowling paid tribute to Coltrane on Twitter on Friday. Along with a picture of the two of them, she wrote, “I'll never know anyone even close to Robbie again.”
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
“He was a one-of-a-kind genius, and I was so lucky to know him, work with him, and laugh my head off with him,” said Rowling, who is 57 years old. “I love and feel sorry for his family, especially his children.”
Coltrane's sister, Annie Rae, his two children, Alice and Spencer, and the mother of Alice and Spencer, Rhona Gemmell, are all still alive.
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Wright tells PEOPLE that the family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at the Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert for their care and kindness. “Please give Robbie's family their space during this hard time.”
