Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson pay tribute to Harry Potter co-star Robbie Coltrane: ‘There was no better Hagrid’

Actor Daniel Radcliffe, who played the role of Harry Potter in Harry Potter movies, has paid tribute to his co-star, late actor Robbie Coltrane. In a statement, Daniel called Robbie Coltrane ‘one of the funniest people’ he had met, adding that he feels ‘incredibly lucky’ to have worked with him. He also spoke about an incident when they were filming Prisoner of Azkaban. Daniel first acted alongside Robbie at the age of 11, in the 2001 film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. (Also Read | Robbie Coltrane, Harry Potter’s Hagrid, dies at 72)

Robbie, best known for playing the gentle half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in Harry Potter, died at the age of 72 on Friday night. His agent Belinda Wright said he died at a hospital in his native Scotland. She called him “forensically intelligent” and “brilliantly witty” in just one of many tributes made to him.

EW quoted Daniel’s statement, “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. 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.”

Taking to her Instagram Stories, Emma Watson who played the role of Hermione in Harry Potter, also paid tribute to Robbie. She shared a photo of the duo from the Return to Hogwarts reunion special.

Emma wrote, “Rest in peace, Robbie Coltrane (white heart and folded hands emojis). Robbie was like the most fun uncle I’ve ever had but most of all he was deeply caring, and compassionate towards me as a child and an adult. His talent was so immense it made sense he played a giant-he could fill any space with his brilliance.”

She concluded, Robbie, if I ever get to be so kind as you were to me on a film set I promise I’ll do it in your name and memory. Know how much I adore and admire you. I’ll really miss your sweetness, your nicknames, your warmth. your laughs and your hugs. You made us a family. Know you were that to us. There was no better Hagrid. You made it a joy to be Hermione.”

A statement on the Harry Potter film Twitter account read, “We are hugely saddened to hear of the passing of the magnificent Robbie Coltrane who played Hagrid with such kindness, heart and humour in the Harry Potter films. He was a wonderful actor, a friend to all and he will be deeply missed.”

Harry Potter author JK Rowling wrote on Twitter, “I’ll never know anyone remotely like Robbie again. 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.”

Daniel and Robbie starred together in all eight Harry Potter movies, from the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001 to Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011. While Robbie will forever be known to millions as Hagrid, he was also a member of the James Bond franchise, having appeared in 1995’s GoldenEye and 1999’s The World Is Not Enough.

Recently, he returned to the Harry Potter world and appeared in HBO Max’s 20th-anniversary Return to Hogwarts reunion special along with Daniel and other stars like Emma Watson and Rupert Grint among others from the cast.