R.I.P. Robbie Coltrane, Harry Potter and Cracker star
Coltrane was well-know for his portrayal of Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter films
Scottish comedy actor Robbie Coltrane has died at the age of 72. Coltrane made star appearances in franchises such as Harry Potter and James Bond, as well as led the British crime drama Cracker. His death has been confirmed by his agency WME, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Born Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30, 1950, in Glasgow, Scotland, Coltrane was the son of a doctor and teacher. He graduated from Glasgow Art School and would go on to continue his art studies at Moray House College of Education. After his work in the art field garnered little success, Coltrane picked up stand-up comedy, taking on gigs in Edinburgh turning to acting. Upon his pivot to acting, he changed his last name in honor of the famous jazz saxophonist John Coltrane.
Kicking off his acting career in 1979, Coltrane is perhaps best known by contemporary audiences for his role as the half-giant half-wizard Rubeus Hagrid in all of the Harry Potter films, beginning with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001). His warm performance of Hagrid is beloved, as he brought to life the sensitive guide for Potter. Earlier this year, he joined the rest of his Harry Potter cast for the 20th-anniversary special released on HBO Max.
“The legacy of the movies is that my children’s generation will show them to their children,” the late Coltrane said in the special. “So you could be watching it in 50 years time, easy. I’ll not be here, sadly, but Hagrid will, yes.”
Coltrane also notably played Russian mafia head Valentin Zukovsky in the Bond films GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough. During his tenure as the criminal psychologist Dr. Edward ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald on Cracker, Coltrane earned three consecutive BAFTA best actor awards. He held the role throughout the show’s run from 1993-2006. Coltrane made his final television appearance in 2020 as Orsen Welles on the series Urban Myths.