Oct. 15 (UPI) — Daniel Radcliffe is hailing Robbie Coltrane, his late co-star in the “Harry Potter” film franchise, as “one of the funniest people I’ve met.”
Coltrane died Friday at the age of 72.
“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,” Radcliffe said in a statement.
“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.”
“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,” co-star Emma Watson posted on Instagram Stories.
“His talent was so immense it made sense he played a giant — he could fill ANY space with his brilliance.”
Rupert Grint said: “Heartbroken to hear that Robbie is gone. I’ll never forget the smell of cigars and beard glue — a wonderful combination.
“No one else on this planet could of played Hagrid, only Robbie,” he added. “Just as Hagrid was in the books and films Robbie was in life — warm, compassionate and hilarious. A giant hearted man who was still looking out for us even decades later. Sending love to his family. See you on the other side Bobser.”
“He was a big friendly giant on screen but even more so In real life. Love you mate – thank you for everything xx,” Tom Felton wrote on Twitter. “One of my fondest memories of filming Harry Potter was a night shoot on the first film in the forbidden forest. I was 12. Robbie cared & looked after everyone around of him. Effortlessly. And made them laugh. Effortlessly.”
J.K. Rowling, the author of the books on which the blockbuster films were based, said: “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.”
