British actor Robbie Coltrane, known worldwide for his role as the half-giant Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, has died at the age of 72, his agent announced on Friday.
Photo: Peter Mountain
Robbie Coltrane, real name Anthony Robert McMillan, died Friday at the Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Scotland, said his agent Belinda Wright, thanking the caregivers of the establishment.
The author of the Harry Potter saga, JK Rowling, hailed his “incredible talent” on Twitter. “I was beyond lucky to know him, to work with him, and to laugh till tears with him,” she said.
The Scottish-born actor was adored by children around the world for his portrayal of the kind, clumsy half-giant with a thick beard Rubeus Hagrid, who helps the young wizard Harry Potter and his friends in their adventures at the school of wizards of Hogwarts.
In reality, he was 1.86m tall, but for the purposes of the film special effects and special effects gave the impression that he was much taller.
“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 series Crackerin 1994, 1995 and 1996, recalled his agent.
“He was smart, brilliantly witty and following 40 years of being his agent, I will miss him,” she added.
Coltrane rose to prominence in the mid-1990s for his role as Doctor Eddie “Fitz” Fitzgerald, a psychologist assisting Manchester police on the British detective series Cracker.
In the 1990s, he also starred in two films in the James Bond saga (“The World Is Not Enough” and “GoldenEye”), playing a Russian mobster and ex-KGB agent.
