Robbie Coltrane on Harry Potter Legacy: 'I'll Not Be Here, But Hagrid Will'

The internet is mourning actor Robbie Coltrane, who played the bearded gentle giant Hagrid in the Harry Potter films. Coltrane died on Friday at age 72.

Shortly after the news was announced, a video clip featuring Coltrane on HBO Max's Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts went viral on social media. In it, the actor reflects on Harry Potter and calls the close of the movie series the "end of an era."

"The legacy of the movies is that my children's generation will show [the films] to their children," the clean-shaven actor said in the clip. "So you could be watching in 50 years time, easy. I'll not be here, sadly, but Hagrid will. Yes."

The viral tweet featuring the clip included the caption: "Thank you Robbie Coltrane for leaving us with Hagrid forever, you were a treasure. RIP," along with a black heart emoji. Posted by user @RenGeekness, it had received nearly 40,000 likes and some 19,400 retweets a little more than two hours after going live.

Coltrane also likened his character to that of a superhero during the anniversary special.

"Everybody in the world would like a really big, huge, strong, good man on their side, simple as that. That's the attraction of Superman and these things," Coltrane said, per CNN. "Hagrid was always obviously the good guy, wasn't he?"

Born in Scotland, Coltrane had also starred in two James Bond movies: The World Is Not Enough and GoldenEye. He rose to prominence after taking on the role of gamekeeper Hagrid, who helped Harry Potter throughout the young wizard's time at Hogwarts.

Many social media users have posted in honor of Coltrane.

Twitter user @BrandonDavisBD, host of the Phase Zero Marvel Universe podcast, retweeted the video along with the caption: "This clip of Robbie Coltrane in the Harry Potter reunion was really impactful. Even more, now."

Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, lawyer and author of This Is Why I Resist, also tweeted a touching post commemorating the actor.

"Robbie Coltrane. Loved him as Hagrid. May his soul rest in peace," she tweeted, adding broken heart and prayer emojis.

Andy Signore, host of pop culture news show Popcorned Planet, agreed that Coltrane "will live on" through the Harry Potter films.

"Rest In Peace Robbie Coltrane...," he wrote in a tweet. "Thank you for beautifully bringing Hagrid to life. You will indeed live on."

And @kiiLkenny tweeted out a thoughtful directive: "Wands up for Robbie Coltrane."

Newsweek reached out to Coltrane's agent for comment.

Updated 10/14/22, 3:17 p.m. ET: This story was updated with additional social media reaction.