Robbie Coltrane, Harry Potter & James Bond Star, Dead at 72
Robbie Coltrane, best known for his roles in Harry Potter, James Bond, and the UK drama series Cracker, has died.
He was 72.
Deadline reports that he passed away in a hospital near his home in Larbert, Scotland.
The outlet reports that Coltrane had been in ill health over the last two years.
Coltrane was born Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30, 1950, in Glasgow, Scotland.
He was the son of a doctor and teacher.
Coltrane attended the Glasgow Art School before continuing his studies at Moray House College of Education in Edinburgh.
He decided to try stand-up comedy after his attempts to become an artist didn’t work out.
His name was changed in honor of jazz legend John Coltrane when the star turned to acting.
Early roles included Flash Gordon, Blackadder, and Keep It in the Family.
His other credits included A Kick Up the Eighties, The Comic Strip, and Alfresco.
His breakthrough role came in Jimmy McGovern’s Cracker, which aired between 1993 and 2006, clocking in at 25 episodes across the entire run.
Coltraine notched three consecutive BAFTA best actor wins for the role.
The widely-praised role was a stepping stone for Coltrane to move on to James Bond, where he played Valentin Zukovsky in GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough.
He followed them up with the Harry Potter franchise, where he played fan favorite Rubeus Hagrid the Giant.
He appeared in all eight movies, with the franchise beginning in 2001.
Other movie credits include Nuns on the Run, Ocean’s Twelve, and Mona Lisa.
May Robbie Coltrane rest in peace.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
