Robbie Coltrane, who is best known for playing Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, has passed away at the age of 72. The actor was born Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30, 1950 in Rutherglen, Scotland, and took up acting when he was in his 20s, largely in the theater before his comic chops earned him roles on the television series The Comic Strip Presents and Alfresco. As he moved further into screen acting, he appeared in a variety of projects including two different 1986 films with painting-related titles - Caravaggio and Mona Lisa - the 1989 Shakespeare adaptation Henry V, and the iconic 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye.
Coltrane's best-known role came in 2001 when he appeared in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as the Hogwarts groundskeeper, the kindly half-giant Hagrid who has a deep love of magical creatures. In fact, he's one of the very first wizards ever shown onscreen in the franchise, as he breaks down the door on the deserted island where Harry's wicked Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia have hidden him, in order to collect the young man, inform him that he is a wizard, and bring him to Hogwarts to learn magic. The actor would go on to reprise the role in the seven films that followed, all the way through the franchise finale in 2011's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Per The Wrap, Coltrane has passed away today of unspecified causes in Larbert, Scotland. The news was confirmed by his agency, WME. He is survived by his two children, Spencer and Alice, who he had with ex-wife Rhona Gemmell.
Robbie Coltrane Leaves Behind A Lasting Impact On Hollywood
Although he reached the most people through his role in Harry Potter, which proved to be a massive intergenerational hit with considerable staying power, Coltrane continued to work until 2020, where his final role was playing Orson Welles in an episode of Urban Myths. His post-Potter work also includes playing Jaggers in the 2012 Charles Dickens adaptation Great Expectations and providing the voice of Lord Dingwall for the Scotland-set Pixar film Brave.
Although the news of the Harry Potter actor's death just broke, tributes have already come pouring in over social media. This includes his former Alfresco co-star Stephen Fry, who shared that he had "such depth, power & talent," and that he was "funny enough to cause helpless hiccups & honking." He will be sorely missed by his friends, family, and fans.
Source: The Wrap