Hagrid from the “Harry Potter” movie, Robbie Coltrane, has died at the age of 72
According to his agent, Scott Henderson, actor Robbie Coltrane, who played the loving gamekeeper Hagrid in the Harry Potter film trilogy, passed away on Friday. He was 72.
The Scottish-born actor also appeared in “Cracker” and “GoldenEye” and “The World Is Not Enough.” alongside James Bond.
Coltrane’s comedic chops were polished on the stage before he became a household name as the beardless Hagrid.
In the 1980s, he co-starred in the ill-fated sketch series “Alfresco” with future A-listers Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, and Emma Thompson.
Fry made a public tribute to his former co-star on Twitter on Friday.
“I first met Robbie Coltrane almost exactly 40 years ago. 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”.
Coltrane’s first nomination for a British Academy Television Award came from his role as the lead male protagonist in the six-part drama series “Tutti Frutti,” in which he starred alongside Thompson.
It was the 1990s TV series “Cracker” that brought him his first Emmy. That criminal drama aired for three seasons, from 1993–95, followed by two one-offs.
Coltrane fit perfectly in the part of Hagrid, a figure that is half-giant and half-human. In an interview, he mentioned that he had read the novels to his kids and it was how he first became familiar with them and how much he enjoyed them.
It is a requirement of being an actor to provide the vocal work. They are used to it at this point, and the kids are expecting it. He joked that people who spoke in monotones might be asked to leave.
His portrayal of the character, a literal gentle half-giant, had heart and sympathy, and that is what fans remembered.
Coltrane spoke on his time working on the films and Hagrid’s influence in the HBO Max special “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts,”
“Everybody in the world would like a really big, huge, strong, good man on their side, simple as that. That’s the attraction of Superman and these things,” he said. “Hagrid was always obviously the good guy, wasn’t he?”