Multiple actors from the Harry Potter film series are offering moving remembrances of their co-star Michael Gambon following his death at the age of 82.
Tributes to the Irish-English actor, whose decades on stage and screen established him as one of Britain’s most venerated talents, arrived from Harry Potter cast members Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe, the latter of whom said the world is now “considerably less fun”.
“Michael Gambon was one of the most brilliant, effortless actors I’ve ever had the privilege of working with,” Daniel told Variety in a statement.
“But despite his immense talent, the thing I will remember most about him is how much fun he had doing his job.”
“He was silly, irreverent and hilarious,” he continued. “He loved his job, but never seemed defined by it [...] His habit of blurring the lines of fact and fiction when talking to journalists meant that he was also one of the most entertaining people with whom you could ever wish to do a press junket.”
Michael, who studied under the legendary Sir Laurence Olivier, had parts in acclaimed films like The Insider (1999) and Gosford Park (2001). But it was his role as Albus Dumbledore from 2004 to 2011 in six of the eight Harry Potter movies that made him an international star.
“Kind kind kind Michael Gambon,” Emma Watson wrote on Instagram. “You never took it too seriously but somehow delivered the most serious moments with all the gravitas.
“Thank you for showing us what it looks like to wear greatness lightly. We will miss you.”
Michael’s family issued a statement through his publicist on Thursday to announce he’d died after “a bout of pneumonia.”
The husband and father of three reportedly passed away peacefully with his wife, Anne Miller, and their son Fergus at his side.
“So sad to hear about Michael,” Rupert Grint wrote on Thursday on Instagram.
“He brought so much warmth and mischief to every day on set. He captivated me as a kid and became a personal role model of mine for finding the fun and eccentricities in life.”
Michael’s career included four Baftas, three Oliviers and two Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards. He was reportedly forced to retire from the stage in 2015, however, after struggling to remember his lines.
“I can’t do it,” he later told The Sunday Times Magazine. “It breaks my heart.”
The actor was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998. Following his death, he’s received tributes from former co-star Jason Isaacs, actor Richard E. Grant and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.