Robbie Coltrane became unforgettable for one of those rare combinations of the perfect actor for the perfect role – Rubeus Hagrid. Playing the friendly giant in the Harry Potter movies, Coltrane probably became one of the most loved actors with the least remembered name. That’s a shame, because in addition to Coltrane’s sweet, gruff performance in the Wizarding World (where he instantly became the favorite uncle or grandfather that audiences wish they had), Coltrane actually had a pretty great career as a character actor and is mostly adored and famous. in Scotland and the UK.
Coltrane passed away at age 72 today, October 14, shattering the collective fandom of Harry Potter to utter an almost unanimous sob or sigh. Born Anthony Robert McMillan, the Scottish actor changed his name to ‘Coltrane’ in honor of the great jazz musician John Coltrane, and began acting in his twenties after rebelling against his conservative upbringing, eventually becoming a glorious voice for Scottish Independence and the Labor Party.
Though he was adored for some endlessly memorable bits (in Ocean’s 12, Van Helsing, Frasier, National Lampoon’s European Vacation, and many more), the actor proved time and again his immense talent in bigger roles. From James Bond films to Pixar classics, look back on Coltrane’s career to see some of the great performances that take you beyond the Harry Potter franchisee.
9/9 Caravaggio
The surreal, quasi-historical period drama of Derek Jarman Caravaggio is arguably the filmmaker’s best film of the 1980s, and the first film performance by the great Tilda Swinton. The film follows the titular Baroque painter, adopting his masterful style of caliginous chiaroscuro and melodramatic bursts of dark colors. Coltrane plays the 16th-century Italian art collector and Cardinal Scipione Borghese, a gay man who was in the closet at a time when you could die. With his pope as uncle, Borghese spent large amounts of money to become a patron of great art, and Coltrane fits perfectly with his lithe, silky, haughty demeanor.
8/9 The Story of Despereaux
Although it is a small part, Coltrane is not outdone in The Story of Desperaux despite its incredible voice acting (Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Watson, Tracey Ullman, William H. Macy, Tony Hale, Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, Ciarán Hinds, Frank Langella, Christopher Lloyd, Richard Jenkins, Frances Conroy). Coltrane plays a gruff jailer with a secret, hiding a delightful and pivotal plot twist in this sweet film about a rat and a mouse and their adventures across the French kingdom of Dor.
7/9 Mona Lisa
One of the greatest British gangster movies of all time, Bob Hoskins directs the great Neil Jordan movie Mona Lisa as a recently released convict whose boss (a slimy, evil Michael Caine in perfect performance) appoints him as a driver and bodyguard for his mistress. Hoskins’ character George finds himself in the middle of a violent mess and eventually flees to stay with his friend Thomas, played by Robbie Coltrane. Coltrane masters the genuine warmth and hearty kindness that would be tapped into so many future projects.
6/9 Henry V
Kenneth Branagh’s directorial debut Henry V garnered immediate acclaim for his beautiful, truncated version of Shakespeare’s great play. The film won an Oscar for its beautiful costume design and received nominations for more. It is a visually stunning and faithful adaptation of the bard’s great play. Coltrane is absolutely perfect as Falstaff, one of the most memorable and lovable Shakespeare characters, a round rap scallion also played by Orson Welles in Chimes at midnight and William Richert in My own private Idaho.
5/9 Golden Eye
Coltrane first played the beautiful 007 character Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky in the masterful film Golden Eye, the 17th in the franchise and the first in which Pierce Brosnan takes on the role of James Bond. A former KGB agent who joined the mafia and owns a series of shady businesses (casinos, bars, and so on). Despite being shot and handicapped by Bond in his early days, the two grudgingly respect each other, especially if it makes Zukovsky some money. Coltrane is absolutely lovely here (and in the later Bond movie) The world is not enoughwhere he memorably reprises his role).
4/9 from hell
Coltrane is great as always as Johnny Depp’s detective sidekick in the dark Hughes Brothers movie from hell. Johnny Depp stars as an inspector investigating the murders of multiple prostitutes in what would become the Jack the Ripper scandal, and Coltrane is his intelligent colleague Sergeant George Godley, who remains comically incredulous about his superior’s theories. Coltrane shows his usual charm and humor here, despite the film’s morbidity, and is the perfect sidekick.
3/9 brave
Coltrane is really great in brave as Lord Dingwall, who brings all the humor, grit and warmth of his Scottish personality into his voice acting. His character is a tough, fiery old man who, despite his small stature, is always ready for a scuffle and a laugh. Despite his short temper, Dingwall is a naturally friendly character and a highlight in this beautiful Pixar film that helped evolve Disney princesses into the modern era, focusing on a Scottish princess who refuses to get engaged.
2/9 squatter
Perhaps Coltrane’s most famous role outside Harry Potterthe beloved actor plays the titular squatter, or criminal psychologist Dr. Edward “Fitz” Fitzgerald. What is essentially an episodic police proceeding is elevated to grandeur by Coltrane’s incredible performance as the chain-smoking, alcoholic, overweight, profane gambler who, despite his flaws, is smarter than anyone in the room. Coltrane won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor for the role three years in a row, and the series won the BAFTA for Best Drama twice. It’s a gripping show made so much better by Coltrane.
1/9 National treasure
Coltrane’s very best performance is also his most woefully underrated. In National treasure (No not that National treasure), Coltrane directs a dark, intimate British miniseries as Paul Finchley, a beloved but fading comedy institution of a man. Formerly famous for his stand-up comedy and now a talk show host, Finchley comes under a harsher spotlight when he is accused of raping multiple women during his career.
Coltrane gives a towering, haunting performance as a man accused of heinous crimes and tries to convince his family (including a great Andrea Riseborough) of his innocence as the public turns against him. His actual guilt remains ambiguous for most of the show, and National treasure becomes a tense, sad mystery with heartbreaking performances and a devastating ending. Created in 2016, it was more than just a masterpiece – it was prophetic and Coltrane’s greatest achievement as an actor.