Many ‘Harry Potter’ actors have died in real life. Michael Gambon passed away at 82 on September 28, 2023.
Generations of children have loved the Harry Potter series ever since the first film was released in 2001. It was a box office hit, paving the way for young stars like Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint to become household names, as well as the impressive cast of British actors whom the rest of the world might have never known.
Sadly, many of the stars that fans have grown to love over the years — like Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, and Richard Harris — have passed since the original 8 films have wrapped. Though they’ll forever be in the hearts and minds of those who love the franchise, it’s sad to think that these beloved stars will never get to see the legacy of the wizarding world go on. Then again, as Robbie put it in the 20th Anniversary special of Harry Potter, “The legacy of the movies is that my children’s generation will show them to their children, so you could be watching them in 50 years’ time, easy. I’ll not be here, sadly, but Hagrid will.”
Here, we remember the actors who brought the magic of Harry Potter to the screen.
Following Richard Harris’ death in 2002, Michael Gambon stepped up to play the iconic role of Albus Dumbledore. He died on Thursday, September 28, 2023. He was 82. “We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon,” his family said in a statement. “Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia.”
After Richard’s passing, Michael was cast as the beloved headmaster and appeared in the remaining Harry Potter films reprising the role from Prisoner of Azkaban until Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Outside of the Wizarding World, Michael appeared in a wide range of other films such as Gosford Park and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover. His final film was 2019’s Cordelia.
Harry Potter fans may not recognize the acclaimed British actor’s face, but his voice is unmistakable. In the first two Potter films, Leslie voiced the mystical Sorting Hat, who decided the Hogwarts House for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and their classmates. His agent Jonathan Lloyd confirmed to Deadline that Phillips passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 8, 2022 at the age of 98, following a long illness.
His other credits included appearing alongside Angelina Jolie in the 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and appearing in several of the British Carry On comedies
Robbie Coltrane, the veteran Scottish-born actor who brought Hagrid the Giant to life in the Harry Potter films, died at age 72 on Oct. 14, 2022. According to a statement given to the BBC by his agent, Belinda Wright, Robbie passed away in a hospital near Falkirk in Scotland. “For me personally, I shall remember him as an abidingly loyal client. As well as being a wonderful actor, he was forensically intelligent, brilliantly witty and after 40 years of being proud to be called his agent, I shall miss him,” said Wright.
“He is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell.
