British actor Robbie Coltrane, known for his role as Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter saga, has died at the age of 72, according to several media including the BBC and the Hollywood Reporter, citing his agent Belinda Wright. The actor, real name Anthony Robert McMillan, died on Friday at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Scotland.
“I will remember him as a loyal customer. Besides being a marvelous actor, he was of remarkable intelligence, a brilliant mind. I am proud to have been his agent for 40 years, I will miss him,” testified Belinda Wright.
He began his career on the boards before landing his first film role in Bertrand Tavernier’s “La mort en direct” in 1980. The colossus became world famous for his interpretation of the kind and clumsy giant Rubeus Hagrid, the keys and places ”of Hogwarts and friend of Harry Potter in the eponymous saga, adaptation of the work of JK Rowling.
The author of the saga hailed his “incredible talent” on Twitter. “I was beyond lucky to know him, to work with him, and to laugh to tears with him,” she wrote. “Hagrid has brought joy to children and adults everywhere,” said Belinda Wright. The actor, who was actually 1.86m tall, was grown for the purposes of the film. Special effects and tricks made him look much taller.
Coltrane, born March 30, 1950 in Glasgow, also starred in two parts of the adventures of James Bond: “Goldeneye” and “Death is not enough”, playing a Russian mobster and ex-KGB agent.
“Robbie had a unique talent, sharing with Michael Gambon (who was also part of the Harry Potter saga, playing Professor Dumbledore) a record for winning three consecutive Best Actor Baftas” for his role in the television series Cracker, in 1994, 1995 and 1996, recalled his agent.
A “Scottish Legend”
“This is very sad news,” Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon reacted in a tweet, hailing this “Scottish legend” and adding that his favorite Coltrane role was that of “Fitz” in the “Cracker” series. Coltrane rose to prominence in the mid-1990s for his role as Doctor Eddie “Fitz” Fitzgerald, a psychologist assisting Manchester police in this British detective series.
“He is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell,” said his agent. Robbie Coltrane received the Bafta Scotland Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film in 2011.