The actor became emotional as he spoke about the legacy of the films (Picture: Warner Bros/HBO Max)
Robbie Coltrane’s last known film appearance in the Harry Potter reunion saw him tearfully pay tribute to the legacy of the franchise, looking forward to the decades in the future when new generations would watch the films.
On Friday, the celebrated Scottish actor died at the age of 72, his agent Belinda Wright announced in a statement.
Tributes have flooded in from individuals including JK Rowling, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, as fans remembered his iconic roles including Rubeus Hagrid in Harry Potter, Fitz in Cracker and Valentin Zukovsky in two James Bond movies.
On New Year’s Day this year, HBO Max and Sky released a special called Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, which saw many of the film’s cast reunite to reminisce on their memories on set 20 years after the release of the first instalment, The Philosopher’s Stone.
At one point in the film, Coltrane – in what is believed to have been his final film appearance – spoke out about how much of an impact the Harry Potter movies will continue to have in the years to come, including when he is no longer around.
‘I just think it’s the end of an era, 10 years of my life. My children have grown up during it, of course,’ he said, wiping at his eyes.
‘The legacy of the movies is that my children’s generation will show them to their children.
‘So, you could be watching it in 50 years’ time, easy… I’ll not be here, sadly… but Hagrid will, yes.’
The film also saw Coltrane in deep conversation with Hermione Granger star Emma Watson, who shared a heartfelt tribute on her Instagram Story after his death describing him as ‘the most fun uncle I’ve ever had’.
Hagrid is one of the most beloved characters in Harry Potter (Picture: Warner Bros/Topfoto/PA Images)
‘But most of all he was deeply caring, and compassionate towards me as a child and as an adult,’ she wrote.
‘His talent was so immense it made sense he played a giant – he could fill ANY space with his brilliance.’
Watson promised to spread kindness on film sets ‘in your name and memory’, concluding her message by writing: ‘There was no better Hagrid. You made it a joy to be Hermione.’
Coltrane played the role of gameskeeper and Care of Magical Creatures professor Hagrid in all eight Harry Potter films, famously uttering the line ‘You’re a wizard, Harry,’ to Radcliffe’s lead character in the first movie.
The cast of Harry Potter have paid tribute to their late co-star (Picture: Sipa/Rex/Shutterstock)
The actor was nominated for a Bafta for his performance in The Philosopher’s Stone, which was released in 2001.
Radcliffe paid tribute to Coltrane by saying he was ‘one of the funniest people I’ve met’, recalling how his former co-star ‘used to keep us laughing constantly as kids on set’.
‘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,’ he said.
He added: ‘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.’
‘He was an incredible actor and a lovely man,’ Radcliffe wrote (Picture: Alan Davidson/Rex/Shutterstock)
Rowling, who wrote the Harry Potter books from which the films were adapted, said she will ‘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,’ she said in her tribute.
‘I send my love and deepest condolences to his family, above all his children.’
Coltrane is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell, who he was married to from 1999 to 2003.
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MORE : From Hagrid in Harry Potter to Fitz in Cracker: Robbie Coltrane’s career as actor dies aged 72
‘You could be watching it in 50 years’ time, easy. I’ll not be here, sadly,’ he said in the film.