The Harry Potter actor shared his fond memories of starring alongside Robbie Coltrane as a child (Picture: REX/Getty)
Daniel Radcliffe has joined his Harry Potter co-stars in paying tribute to Robbie Coltrane following the actor’s death aged 72.
Coltrane – best known for playing Rubeus Hagrid in the fantasy franchise – died on Friday, October 14, his agent confirmed with a statement.
Tributes have since been pouring in for the film icon, with Radcliffe hailing him ‘one of the funniest people’ and an ‘incredible actor.’
The actor, who starred in the lead role in the wizarding series, worked closely with Coltrane throughout the eight films.
Radcliffe shared fond memories from set in a statement shared with the PA news agency, saying: ‘Robbie was one of the funniest people I’ve met and used to keep us laughing constantly as kids on the 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.’
Coltrane was best known for playing the loveable half-giant half-human (Picture: Warner Bros)
Radcliffe starred alongside Coltrane through eight Harry Potter films (Picture: Alan Davidson/REX/Shutterstock)
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.’
Joining the actor with his tribute was Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films.
‘Robbie. Bobser. He called me Space Boy. We shared a love of the final frontier,’ Lewis wrote.
‘He didn’t give a f**k and it always made you smile.’
Ending on a poignant note and referring to Coltrane’s role as the half-giant half-human character, he concluded: ‘A giant, in more ways than one. We had some times x’.
Elsewhere, James Phelps, who starred as Fred Weasley, recalled his first memory of the actor and his words of encouragement when he was just a young boy.
‘I will miss the random chats about all subjects under the sun,’ Phelps tweeted.
‘And I’ll never forget in September 2000, Robbie Coltrane came over to a very nervous 14yr old me on my 1st ever day on a movie set and said ‘Enjoy it, you’ll be great’. Thank you for that.’
Fellow Weasley twin Oliver Phelps also had some sweet words to share from Coltrane as he recalled their first premiere as a Harry Potter cast in London’s Leicester Square in November 2001.
Stars who played Neville Longbottom and the Weasley twins paid tribute to the actor (Picture: Getty)
The star’s agent confirmed the sad news of his death in a statement on Friday (Picture: Getty)
‘Soak this in lads, it’s like a Rolls-Royce for your first car!’, Coltrane told the cast of young actors.
The George Weasley actor added in his tweet: ‘Over the years we had some great chats about history and travel. Rest in peace Robbie x’.
More: Trending
Author of the best-selling franchise JK Rowling added that she will ‘never know anyone remotely like Robbie again’ in her tribute, writing: ‘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,’ she added.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE : Harry Potter star Tom Felton reveals cast have ‘cheeky WhatsApp group’ for ‘geeky Potter jokes’
‘I feel incredibly lucky that I got to meet and work with him.’
