Robbie Coltrane, the Actor and Comedian Who Played Hagrid in the Harry Potter Movies, Dies at 72
Robbie Coltrane, the actor and comedian who played Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies, has died at the age of 72.
As reported by BBC, Coltrane’s agent Belinda Wright confirmed that he died in a hospital near Falkirk in Scotland, on Friday, October 14, 2022. Wright called Coltrane a “unique talent” and said that the actor “brought joy to children and adults alike all over the world.”
“For me personally I shall remember him as an abidingly loyal client,” Wright 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 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 on March 30, 1950, in Rutherglen, Scotland, with the name Anthony Robert McMillan. He took on the last name of Coltrane as a tribute to jazz saxophonist John Coltrane.
His acting career kicked off in 1979 when he was cast in the TV series Play for Today, and he would continue on to star in such films and shows as Flash Gordon, A Kick Up the Eighties, Laugh??? I Nearly Paid My Licence Fee, Death Watch, Scrubbers, Krull, Tutti Frutti, and so many more.
He also starred as the forensic psychologist Dr. Edward “Fitz” Fitzgerald in the TV series Cracker, and his performance would earn him three BAFTA awards.
He is perhaps most well-known for his portrayal of Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter films and for his time as Valentin Zukovsky in the James Bond films GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough.
For his contributions to the world of drama, he was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire” in the 2006 New Year Honours by Queen Elizabeth II.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
