Robbie Coltrane, best known for his roles as Dr. Edward ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald in Cracker and as Hagrid in the Harry Potter series, has passed away at the age of 72.

The multi-award winning Scottish actor died in hospital near Falkirk after a long illness.

In a statement, his agent Belinda Wright said:

“He will probably be best remembered for decades to come as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, 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.”

Born as Anthony Robert McMillan, Coltrane attended Glasgow Art School, majoring in drawing, painting and film, and then studied art at Edinburgh’s Moray House College of Education for a year. He then took the surname Coltrane due to his love of jazz and also showcased his comedic talents at nightclubs.

He broke into acting in 1980 with one of his first on-screen appearances being as ‘Man at Airfield’ in the cult sci-fi hit Flash Gordon. Shortly after, he took on his first leading role as Detective Fritz Langley in the thriller Subway Riders (1981).

On the comedy front, Coltrane became a well-known face through appearances in The Comic Strip sketch series that stretched from 1982 to 1993 as well as films like The Supergrass (1985) and The Pope Must Die (1991).

During the 1980s, he popped up in a variety of hit British sitcoms including The Young Ones (1982-84), Alfresco (1983-84), Blackadder the Third (1987), The Lenny Henry Show (1988) and French and Saunders (1988).

However, Coltrane also showcased his dramatic skills with appearances in the likes of Scrubbers (1982), Krull (1983), Defence of the Realm (1985), Mona Lisa (1986), The Fruit Machine (1988), Danny the Champion of the World (1989) and Henry V (1989).

He soon achieved acclaim with his role as washed-up rock ‘n’ roll singer Danny McGlone in the multi-award winning mini-series Tutti Fruiti (1987). His performance alongside renowned co-star Emma Thompson earned him the first of five TV BAFTA nominations for Best Actor.

After appearing with Eric Idle in the comedy Nuns on the Run (1990) and as the Duke in Disney’s adaptation of The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993), Coltrane then tackled the gritty part of brilliant yet troubled criminal psychologist Dr. Edward ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald in the hit crime series Cracker. His portrayal landed him three consecutive BAFTA wins for Best Actor between 1994 and 1996 in a role that he would play until 2006.

In the time between making Cracker, he then played Russian mafia boss Valentin Zukovsky in two James Bond films; Goldeneye (1995) and The World is Not Enough (1999). Shortly after, another major film franchise came calling…..

At the start of the Millennium, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling personally selected Coltrane to play the iconic role of gentle half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in the first of EIGHT big-screen adaptations of her successful novels between 2001 and 2011. His debut as Hagrid in The Philosopher’s Stone earned him his sole film nomination at BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor.

Away from the Harry Potter universe, Coltrane went on to appear in films like From Hell (2001), Van Helsing (2004), Ocean’s Twelve (2004), Stormbreaker (2006), Great Expectations (2012) and Effie Gray (2014). Additionally, he also contributed his voice to the likes of The Tale of Desperaux (2008), Arthur Christmas (2011) and Brave (2012).

His television work was just as impressive with memorable guest appearances including Daphne Moon’s brother Michael in the penultimate episode of Frasier (2004) and as deranged bus driver Davie in an episode of the Scottish sitcom Still Game (2005).

Towards the end of his life, Coltrane starred in the crime series Murderland (2009) and then landed his sixth (and final BAFTA nomination) for his role as a popular comedian accused of historical sexual abuse in the powerful mini-series National Treasure (2016).

His last on-screen role came with his portrayal of famous film director Orson Welles in two episodes of Urban Myth (2019-20).

Coltrane was made an OBE in the 2006 New Year’s honours list for his services to drama and he was awarded the Bafta Scotland Award for outstanding contribution to film in 2011.

He is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell.