Robbie Coltrane, actor who played Hagrid in ‘Harry Potter,’ dead at 72
Robbie Coltrane — famous for his role as Rubeus Hagrid in the “Harry Potter” movies — has died.
He was 72.
Coltrane’s rep confirmed to The Post that he died Friday in Scotland.
He is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell.
Coltrane’s agent of 40 years, Belinda Wright, also said his family “would like to thank the medical staff at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert for their care and diplomacy.”
Deadline reported that he passed away in a hospital near his home in Larbert, Scotland, and has been ill health for the last two years.
“Robbie was one of the funniest people I’ve met and used to keep us laughing constantly as kids on the set,” Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, said in a statement to The Post.
“I’ve especially fond memories of him keeping our spirits up on ‘Prisoner of Azkaban,’ when we were all hiding from the torrential rain for hours in Hagrid’s hut and he was telling stories and cracking jokes to keep morale up.
“I feel incredibly lucky that I got to meet and work with him and very sad that he’s passed. He was an incredible actor and a lovely man,” Radcliffe added.
Coltrane has also appeared in the James Bond movies “Golden Eye” and “The World Is Not Enough” as Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky.
His other notable film appearances include “Nuns on the Run,” “Mona Lisa” and “Ocean’s Twelve.”
He also portrayed forensic psychologist Dr. Edward ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald in the TV murder drama “Cracker.” The role earned him three BAFTA Awards for Best Actor.
However, his agent said he had legions of fans who wrote to him regularly.
“He will probably be best remembered for decades to come as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films,” Wright told The Post. “A role which brought joy to children and adults alike all over the world prompting a stream of fan letters every week for over 20 years. James Bond fans write too to applaud his role in ‘Golden Eye’ and ‘The World Is Not Enough.’”
Wright called Coltrane “a unique talent.”
“I shall remember him as a wonderful actor,” she said. “He was forensically intelligent, brilliantly witty and after 40 years of being proud to be called his agent, I shall miss him.”
Coltrane held the Guinness Book of Records’ award for winning three consecutive Best Actor BAFTAs for his portrayal of Fitz in Granada TV’s series “Cracker” from 1994 to 1996 with Sir Michael Gambon, Wright noted.
He was appointed an OBE — Most Excellent Order of the British Empire — by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 for his services to drama.
Born Anthony Robert McMillan in Rutherglen, Scotland, in 1950, he adopted the stage name Coltrane in his early 20s in honor of jazz saxophonist John Coltrane.
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