Robbie Coltrane Dead at 72; Hagrid Actor in 'Harry Potter' Battled Illness for Years

Robbie Coltrane, a beloved Scottish actor, passed away today at the age of 72, his agent confirmed.

The James Bond, Cracker, and Harry Potter actor passed away at a hospital close to his Larbert, Scotland, home. The renowned actor had been experiencing health issues for the previous two years.

Harry Potter Cast Pours Tributes For Robbie Coltraine

Coltrane, a larger-than-life comic star, is most known for his memorable role as Rubeus Hagrid, the Hogwarts groundsman, in the Harry Potter films.

Per Deadline, he received worldwide fame and admiration for his endearing performances and on-screen relationship with Daniel Radcliffe's Harry Potter, enjoying enormous popularity as Potter's half-giant and half-wizard.

JK Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe led the tributes from celebrities for Coltrane's passing. JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, paid tribute to the actor on Twitter after learning the sad news.

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

She said, "I was beyond fortunate to know him, work with him, and laugh my head off with him. He was an incredible talent, a complete one off, and I'll never know anyone remotely like Robbie again."

She also posted a picture of the two at a restaurant table engaged in intense conversation. The loss of Robbie Coltrane would be upsetting for the author, who previously stated that Coltrane was top of her list for the role of Hagrid in the movie versions of her books.

She quickly breathed out "Robbie Coltrane for Hagrid" when asked who she would want to see in the part, Mirror reported.

The actor who played Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe, described Robbie Coltrane as "one of the funniest people" and "an incredible actor."

He remarked, "Robbie was one of the funniest persons I've encountered and used to keep us kids on the set laughing constantly." The eight films, which were released from 2001 to 2011, starred the two together throughout.

The actress who played Hermione Granger, Emma Watson, referred to him as "deeply caring" in her Instagram stories. Neville Longbottom actor Matthew Lewis also paid tribute to the actor.

Coltrane was born Anthony Robert McMillan and raised by Calvinist parents in the affluent Glasgow district of Rutherglen. He claimed that until he was six years old, his father seldom spoke to him due to his hectic schedule as a police surgeon, as per Daily Mail.

When Coltrane was only a teenager, his father passed away from lung cancer. He was sent off to board at Perth and Kinross' Glenalmond College, frequently referred to as Scotland's Eton.

Robbie Coltrane's Achievements

Coltrane earned three straight BAFTA awards for best actor for his portrayal of forensic psychologist Dr. Edward "Fitz" Coltrane in the murder mystery series Cracker in the UK, a feat only matched by actor Michael Gambon. He was also nominated for a BAFTA for the BBC Scotland drama Tutti Frutti and the Channel 4 drama National Treasure.

Additionally, the actor delivered standout performances in the films Nuns on the Run, Mona Lisa, and Ocean's 12.

He co-starred as Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky, a former KGB agent turned ally of Agent 007, in the James Bond movies GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough.

On March 30, 1950, in Rutherglen, Scotland, Anthony Robert McMillan became Coltrane. In his early 20s, he adopted the stage name Coltrane in honor of jazz saxophonist John Coltrane and made his stage debut in Byrne's production of The Slab Boys.

Before making his television debut in Tutti Frutti and Blackadder the Third, he had early cinema parts in Flash Gordon and Mona Lisa. He was also a memorable Pope in the comedy The Pope Must Die from 1991.