Robbie Coltrane, the Scottish actor who played the lovable half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in all eight “Harry Potter” films, has died at age 72.
Coltrane — who also played a crime boss in two James Bond movies, 1995′s “GoldenEye” and 1999′s “The World is Not Enough” — died Friday at a hospital in Scotland, according to his agent, Belinda Wright.
No cause of death was given.
The actor, whose real name was Anthony Robert McMillan, was born in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, in 1950.
Describing Coltrane as a “unique talent,” Wright said that his role as Hagrid — who famously said the line “Yer a wizard, Harry” to a young Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” in 2001 — “brought joy to children and adults alike all over the world,” according to the BBC.
“For me personally I shall remember him as an abidingly loyal client. As well as being a wonderful actor, he was forensically intelligent, brilliantly witty and after 40 years of being proud to be called his agent, I shall miss him,” Wright added.
Coltrane made his debut on television in 1980, in the BBC miniseries “The Lost Tribe” — but became a household name in the early ‘90s, when he starred in the British crime drama “Cracker” as a forensic criminal psychologist.
The role earned him a BAFTA TV award, Britain’s equivalent of an Emmy, for best actor for three consecutive years from 1994 to 1996.
Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon mourned the “Scottish entertainment legend.”
“Very sad news,” Sturgeon tweeted. “He had such range and depth as an actor, from brilliant comedy to hard-edged drama. I think my favorite of all his roles was Fitz in ‘Cracker.’”
Actor Stephen Fry, who appeared alongside Coltrane in the British comedy variety show “Alfresco” in 1983, also paid tribute to his friend, writing on Twitter that the pair had met “almost exactly 40 years ago.”
He added, “I was awe/terror/love struck all at the same time. Such depth, power & talent: funny enough to cause helpless hiccups & honking as we made our first TV show, ‘Alfresco.’ Farewell, old fellow. You’ll be so dreadfully missed.”
Coltrane is survived by his sister, his children and their mother, according to Wright.
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