Robbie Coltrane became unforgettable for one of those rare combinations of the perfect actor for the perfect role — Rubeus Hagrid. Playing the gentle giant in the Harry Potter movies, Coltrane likely became one of the most beloved actors with the least-remembered name. That's a shame, because beyond Coltrane's sweet, gruff performance in the Wizarding World (where he immediately became the favorite uncle or grandfather audiences wished they'd had), Coltrane actually had a pretty wonderful career as a character actor and is especially adored and famous in Scotland and the UK.
Coltrane died at the age of 72 today, Oct. 14th, causing the collective fandom of Harry Potter to let out a near-unanimous sob or sigh. The Scottish actor born Anthony Robert McMillan changed his name to 'Coltrane' in honor of the great jazz musician John Coltrane, and began acting in his 20s after rebelling against his conservative upbringing, eventually becoming a delightful voice for Scottish independence and the Labour party.
Though he was adored for some endlessly memorable bit parts (in Ocean's 12, Van Helsing, Frasier, National Lampoon's European Vacation, and many more), the actor proved his immense talent time and time again in larger roles. From James Bond movies to Pixar classics, take a look back on Coltrane's career to see some of the great performances you may have missed outside the Harry Potter franchise.
9 Caravaggio
Derek Jarman's surreal, quasi-historical period drama Caravaggio is arguably the filmmaker's best film of the 1980s, and the first film performance from the great Tilda Swinton. The movie follows the titular Baroque painter and adopts 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 closeted gay man in a time when that could get you killed. With his pope as an uncle, Borghese spent lavish amounts of money to become a patron of great art, and Coltrane perfectly matches his lithe, silky, haughty demeanor.
8 The Tale of Despereaux
Though it's a small part, Coltrane is not outshone in The Tale of Desperaux despite its incredible voice acting cast (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 jailor with a secret, concealing a delightful and crucial plot twist in this sweet movie about a rat and a mouse and their adventures through the French kingdom of Dor.
7 Mona Lisa
One of the greatest British gangster movies of all time, Bob Hoskins leads the great Neil Jordan film Mona Lisa as a recently released convict whose boss (a slimy, evil Michael Caine in a perfect performance) assigns him to be the driver and bodyguard for his mistress. Hoskins' character George finds himself in the middle of a violent mess and ultimately flees to stay with his friend Thomas, played by Robbie Coltrane. Coltrane masters the real warmth and burly affability that would be tapped in so many future projects.
6 Henry V
Kenneth Branagh's directorial debut Henry V garnered immediate acclaim for its gorgeous, truncated take on the great Shakespeare play. Winning an Oscar for its marvelous costume design and receiving nominations for more, the film is a visually stunning and faithful adaptation on the Bard's great play. Coltrane is absolutely perfect as Falstaff, one of the most memorable and lovable Shakespeare characters, a rotund rapscallion who has also been played by Orson Welles in Chimes at Midnight and William Richert in My Own Private Idaho.
5 GoldenEye
Coltrane first played the wonderful 007 character Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky in the masterful film GoldenEye, the 17th in the franchise and first to feature Pierce Brosnan taking on the role of James Bond. A former KGB agent who has become a member of the mafia who owns a series of shady businesses (casinos, bars, and so on). Despite having been shot and handicapped by Bond in his earlier days, the two have a begrudging respect for one another, especially if it makes Zukovsky some money. Coltrane is absolutely delightful here (and in the later Bond film The World is Not Enough, where he memorably reprises his role).
4 From Hell
Coltrane is wonderful as always as Johnny Depp's detective sidekick in the dark Hughes Brothers film 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 of his superior's theories. Coltrane displays his usual charm and humor here despite the morbidity of the film, and makes the perfect sidekick.
3 Brave
Coltrane is truly wonderful in Brave as Lord Dingwall, bringing all the humor, grit, and warmth of his Scottish personality to 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. An inherently kind character despite his quick temper, Dingwall is a highlight in this beautiful Pixar movie that helped evolve Disney princesses into the modern era, focusing on a Scottish princess who refuses to be betrothed.
2 Cracker
Perhaps Coltrane's most famous role outside Harry Potter, the beloved actor plays the titular Cracker, or criminal psychologist Dr Edward "Fitz" Fitzgerald. What is essentially an episodic police procedural is elevated to greatness by Coltrane's incredible performance as the chain-smoking, alcoholic, overweight, profane gambling addict who is smarter than anyone else in the room despite his flaws. Coltrane won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor three years in a row for the part, and the series won the BAFTA for Best Drama twice. It's a gripping show made so much better by Coltrane.
1 National Treasure
Coltrane's very best performance is also his most woefully underrated. In National Treasure (no, not that National Treasure), Coltrane leads 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 hosting a talk show, a harsher spotlight falls on Finchley when he is accused of raping multiple women throughout his career.
Coltrane gives a towering, haunting performance as a man accused of heinous crimes, attempting to convince his family (including a wonderful Andrea Riseborough) of his innocence as the public turns on him. His actual guilt remains ambiguous for most of the show, and National Treasure becomes a suspenseful, sad mystery with heartbreaking performances and a devastating ending. Made in 2016, it was more than just a masterpiece — it was prophetic, and Coltrane's greatest achievement as an actor.