Harry Potter star Robbie Coltrane reportedly died from multiple organ failure.
As reported by Deadline, sepsis, a lower respiratory tract infection and a heart block contributed to Coltrane's death at 72 years old. According to his death certificate, doctors had also previously diagnosed the Harry Potter actor with obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Additionally, Coltrane suffered from osteoarthritis, which left him wheelchair-bound, since 2019. Coltrane died at Forth Valley Royal Hospital near his home in Scotland. His two children, Spencer and Alice, survive him.
Following Coltrane's death, many Harry Potter stars paid tribute to the late actor on social media. "Robbie was one of the funniest people I’ve met and used to keep us laughing constantly as kids on the set," Daniel Radcliffe said. "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."
Additionally, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson shared touching sentiments. "I’ll never forget the smell of cigars and beard glue- a wonderful combination," Grint wrote. The actor also remarked how Coltrane was "warm, compassionate and hilarious" and the perfect choice to play Hagrid. "Robbie was like the most fun uncle I’ve ever had," Watson wrote. The Beauty and the Beast actor recalled how "deeply caring, and compassionate" Coltrane was to her as a child, which continued into her adult years.
Coltrane made his first appearance as Rubeus Hagrid in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Coltrane was J.K. Rowling's first choice to portray the kindhearted half-giant, but Robin Williams also expressed interest in the part. However, the Harry Potter producers maintained their "Brits only" casting rule, so the California native was unable to make his Wizarding World debut.
During the 2022 HBO Max special Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, Coltrane discussed the tremendous impact the films have had on people of all ages, which the late actor believed will undoubtedly continue for decades. "The legacy of these movies is that my children's generation will show them to their children. So, you could be watching them in 50 years, easy. I'll not be here, sadly, but Hagrid will," the late actor said.
All eight Harry Potter movies are available to stream on Peacock and HBO Max.
Source: Deadline