Harry Potter and James Bond actor Robbie Coltrane dies aged 72

Movie star Robbie Coltrane has died at 72 years old. Known best for his run as Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter franchise, he also captivated audiences as Valentin Zukovsky in the James Bond films GoldenEye and The World is Not Enough.

Robbie Coltrane was a staple of the acting world with a wealth of notable performances under his belt. Aside from his run in the two mega-franchises, he also appeared in films like Kenneth Brannagh’s Shakespeare adaptation Henry V and Steven Soderbegh’s Ocean’s Twelve.

He was also well-respected in the world of animation thanks to his performances in movies such as The Tale of Desperaux and Pixar’s Brave.

Coltrane began his career on the sketch comedy series Alfresco alongside notable actors such as Emma Thompson and Hugh Laurie, but broke out in the world of drama thanks to his work as Dr. Eddie “Fitz” Fitzgerald on The Cracker, a role which netted him three consecutive ‘Best Actor’ BAFTA awards from 1994-1996.

Shortly after the news broke, “Hagrid” hit the trending topics on Twitter as fans flooded in to share their goodbyes to the legendary actor. Fellow ‘Alfresco’ talent and longtime friend Stephen Fry joined in on the tributes as well.

“Such depth, power & talent: funny enough to cause helpless hiccups & honking as we made our first TV show,” he said. “Farewell, old fellow. You’ll be so dreadfully missed.”

While his work on-screen garnered him many awards in his lifetime, it also touched the hearts of thousands of people around the world and created a legacy that won’t soon be forgotten.