Robbie Coltrane, the beloved actor who played Hagrid in all Harry Potter movies, has died at the age of 72.
The actor, whose real name is Anthony Robert McMillan, is probably best known for playing Rubeus Hagrid in the movies based on J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. He made his first appearance in the series in 2001.
Coltrane was both an actor and a comedian, and his role as Dr. Edward “Fitz” Fitzgerald in the British crime show “Cracker” was one of his best-known roles.
His agent, Belinda Wright, said in a statement, “I will remember him as a client who was always loyal to me.”
“He was a great actor, but he was also very smart, very funny, and I shall miss him after 40 years of being proud to be called his agent,” his agent said.
Coltrane’s big break came in 1995 when he played Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky in the James Bond movie “GoldenEye,” which starred Pierce Brosnan as 007, the source said.
He would play the part again in 1999’s “The World Is Not Enough.”
One of the first places to talk about the star’s death was on the official Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts social media page.
“We are hugely saddened to hear of the passing of the magnificent Robbie Coltrane who played Hagrid with such kindness, heart and humour in the Harry Potter films. He was a wonderful actor, a friend to all and he will be deeply missed,” the tweet read.
Famed “Harry Potter” author Rowling called Coltrane an “incredible talent” and said she was “fortunate to know him.”
“I’ll never know anyone remotely like Robbie again,” the author tweeted. “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.”