‘Harry Potter’ Actor Robbie Coltrane Once Defended J.K. Rowling Against Transphobia Accusations
Robbie Coltrane, who played the beloved character Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies, died on Oct. 14 at age 72. The actor previously defended Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling against accusations of transphobia. Here’s what Coltrane said about Rowling, and how the author paid tribute to the actor after his death.
Robbie Coltrane, ‘Harry Potter’ actor who played Hagrid, died at age 72
On Oct. 14, Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane died on Oct. 14 in a Larbert, Scotland hospital. Belinda Wright, his British agent, confirmed the news to The New York Times. Wright shared that Coltrane’s family did not disclose his cause of death, but said the 72-year-old actor had been “unwell for some time.”
Coltrane famously portrayed the beloved half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies based on the book series by J.K. Rowling. He also appeared in the James Bond films GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough. Coltrane starred in the British crime series Cracker.
Robbie Coltrane once defended ‘Harry Potter’ creator J.K. Rowling against accusations of transphobia
Robbie Coltrane once defended Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling against accusations of transphobia, arguing that her critics are “waiting to be offended.” Rowling has shared her beliefs regarding gender on social media many times, drawing wide criticism from her fan base and even some Harry Potter stars.
“I don’t think what she said was offensive really,” Coltrane said during a September 2020 interview with the Radio Times (per Insider). “I don’t know why, but there’s a whole Twitter generation of people who hang around waiting to be offended. They wouldn’t have won the war, would they?”
He continued, “That’s me talking like a grumpy old man, but you just think: ‘Oh, get over yourself. Wise up, stand up straight, and carry on.’”
Coltrane also said he didn’t want to speak further on the issue “because of all the hate mail and all that s*** which I don’t need at my time of life.”
J.K. Rowling released a statement after the actor’s death
On Oct. 14, shortly after the news of Robbie Coltrane’s death was announced, J.K. Rowling shared a heartfelt statement about the actor.
“I’ll never know anyone remotely like Robbie again,” she tweeted. “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.”
Her sentiments echoed the statement Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who portrayed the titular character, gave after Coltrane’s death.
“Robbie was one of the funniest people I’ve met and used to keep us laughing constantly as kids on the set,” the actor said in a statement obtained by Deadline. “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.”
