Robbie Coltrane was one of Britain’s most beloved actors, a performer of huge presence and range who won three BAFTAs for the crime drama Cracker and then found worldwide fame as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films. Born just outside Glasgow, he trained as an artist before the stage claimed him.
An art-school start
Born Anthony McMillan in Rutherglen, on the edge of Glasgow, in 1950, he studied painting at the Glasgow School of Art, and took his stage name from the jazz musician John Coltrane. Finding that he could not commit his vision to canvas, he turned instead to stand-up comedy and acting, part of the rich cultural life of the city.
Cracker
After years of comic and character roles, Coltrane’s breakthrough came in 1993 as the brilliant, troubled criminal psychologist Fitz in the television drama Cracker. The role won him the BAFTA for Best Actor three years running, a record at the time, and featured a young Robert Carlyle among its guest stars.
Hagrid and Bond
In 2001 Coltrane was chosen by the author J. K. Rowling herself to play Rubeus Hagrid, the gentle giant and keeper of Hogwarts, in the Harry Potter films, a role that made him known and loved around the world. He also appeared in two James Bond films as the Russian gangster Valentin Zukovsky.
A beloved figure
Appointed OBE and honoured with a BAFTA for his outstanding contribution to film, Coltrane died in 2022, aged seventy-two, mourned by the generations who had grown up with his Hagrid.
Related questions
Who was Robbie Coltrane?
A Scottish actor and comedian, best known for the television drama Cracker and for playing Hagrid in the Harry Potter films.
What was Robbie Coltrane famous for?
His three BAFTA-winning performances in Cracker and his role as Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter film series.
Where was Robbie Coltrane from?
He was born in Rutherglen, just outside Glasgow, and studied at the Glasgow School of Art.
Who chose Robbie Coltrane to play Hagrid?
The author J. K. Rowling, who said he was her choice for the role.