Emma Watson is paying tribute to Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies. Coltrane died on Friday at the age of 72.
The actress who played Hermione wrote a touching tribute to Coltrane on her Instagram story. She talked about his talent and kindness, and how he always made her feel welcome on the Harry Potter set. Watson and Coltrane were in all eight Harry Potter movies, starting with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001 and ending with Deathly Hallows Part 2 in 2011.
“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,” Watson wrote on Instagram. “His talent was so immense that it made sense he played a giant — he could fill ANY space with his brilliance.”
“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,” she continued. “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.”
Watson ended by praising Coltrane’s performance as the much-loved groundskeeper at Hogwarts, and she added: “There was no better Hagrid. You made it a joy to be Hermione.”
Daniel Radcliffe, Matthew Lewis, Bonnie Wright, Oliver, and James Phelps, and J.K. Rowling, who wrote the Harry Potter books, all talked about how much they enjoyed working with the actor.
Radcliffe, who played the boy wizard, remembered how Coltrane would spend hours making all the young actors laugh on set. He added, “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.”