Entertainment

Everything About Robbie Coltrane, The Harry Potter Actor Who Just Died At Age 72

2022-10-15 , 11:33 am

Robbie Coltrane, a Scottish actor, has just died yesterday (14 October).

He was 72.

After his passing, his agent Belinda Wright announced his passing and called Coltrane a “unique” talent.

“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,” she added.

As the actor who played the well-known role of Rubeus Hagrid, a half-giant, half-human, in all of the Harry Potter films, he shot to fame back in the 90s after taking on the role of Dr Eddie “Fitz” Fitzgerald, a criminal psychologist with a drinking habit, in the ITV series “Cracker”. The series ran from 1993 to 2006.

And here’s all you need to know about him.

He Was Appointed as OBE in the UK by Queen Elizabeth II, and Was Awarded Other Titles Too

In Britain, individuals who contribute greatly to different areas such as charity, the arts or sciences may be appointed with various Orders of the British Empire.

Coltrane, who was born on 30 March 1950 as Anthony Robert McMillan, was appointed as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his contributions to drama over his career which spanned almost 40 years.

He was appointed by the former Queen, Queen Elizabeth II, back in 2006.

Apart from that, Coltrane’s contributions to the film industry were also recognised through a British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) Scotland Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film in 2011.

He Has Acted Alongside Other Famous Actors and Actresses like Emma Thompson Before

Coltrane’s first work as an actor was in Alfresco back in 1983, where he starred alongside other big shots in the industry such as Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, and Emma Thompson.

He then worked with Thompson again a few years later; the duo filmed a BBC miniseries called Tutti Frutti in 1987 after Coltrane landed the lead role in the show.

Other roles that Coltrane took on included that of Samuel Johnson, an English author and lexicographer, in Blackadder the Third. Other actors who also acted in the comedy series include Hugh Laurie and Rowan Atkinson, the actor who played the role of “Mr Bean”.

Coltrane also acted in movies, such as Mona Lisa and Nuns on the Run in 1987 and 1990 respectively.

And for James Bond fans, Coltrane might be a familiar face to you, for he also acted as a former KGB agent-turned-Russian mafia boss in two of the James Bond films, namely Goldeneye and The World Is Not Enough.

However, Coltrane was still most famous for taking on the role of Hagrid in the Harry Potter films.

Wright shared that after taking on the role, Coltrane received letters from fans every single week for more than two decades.

He Advocated for Scotland’s Independence

And besides his achievements in the entertainment industry, Coltrane was also vocal about how he supported Scotland becoming an independent country.

In 2014, Scotland held a referendum to decide whether Scotland should become an independent country, away from the United Kingdom.

Amongst other Scottish stars such as Sir Sean Connery and Alan Cumming, Coltrane also agreed that Scotland should gain independence.

However, he added that he had criteria regarding supporting Scotland’s independence: he wanted an “independent Labour Scotland”.

He Started Using a Wheelchair in 2019

Despite the entertainment and laughs that he brought to audiences over his career, Coltrane’s health began to suffer in his later years.

In particular, he had to begin using a wheelchair due to osteoarthritis.

He also revealed to the Daily Express that he was in constant pain due to the absence of cartilage in his knee.

However, he managed to get surgery in America to repair his joint, which offered him a great amount of pain relief.

He was also told by doctors to lose weight for his health.

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His Cause of Death Has Not Been Revealed

Despite it being public knowledge that his health had been declining prior to his death, Coltrane’s cause of death has yet to be revealed.

However, Wright did express her gratitude towards the medical staff in Forth Valley Royal Hospital, the facility where Coltrane stayed at prior to his death, “for their care and diplomacy”.

Many British Stars Have Issued Statements

Since his passing, other British stars such as Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, his Harry Potter co-stars, as well as Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Tony Robinson have all released statements or social media posts to express their sorrow over Coltrane’s passing.

Even Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, wrote on Twitter, “Very sad news. He had such range and depth as an actor, from brilliant comedy to hard-edged drama. I think my favourite of all his roles was Fitz in Cracker.

“Robbie Coltrane, Scottish entertainment legend – you will be hugely missed. RIP”.

Harry Potter author J.K Rowling, who has been embroiled in much controversy due to her online opinions in recent years, also posted on Twitter to mourn Coltrane’s passing.

I’ll never know anyone remotely like Robbie again. He was an incredible talent, a complete one off, and I was beyond fortunate to know him, work with him and laugh my head off with him. I send my love and deepest condolences to his family, above all his children. pic.twitter.com/tzpln8hD9z

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 14, 2022