LAST UPDATE | 28 Sep 2023
ACTOR MICHAEL GAMBON has died at the age of 82, his family has confirmed.
The four-time Bafta winner was born in Cabra and started his stage acting career in the Gate Theatre in Dublin.
He became a household name when he took on the role of Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter film series. He also played many other roles in film, television and theatre throughout this career, including the BBC drama The Singing Detective, for which he won his Baftas; Gosford Park; Sleepy Hollow; and The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover.
A statement on behalf of his wife Anne Gambon and son Fergus Gambon, issued by publicist Clair Dobbs, said: “We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon.
“Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia. Michael was 82,” the statement said.
“We ask that you respect our privacy at this painful time and thank you for your messages of support and love.”
President Michael D Higgins has paid tribute to Gambon, calling him “one of the finest actors of his generation” in a statement this afternoon.
“Having won recognition as an exceptional talent very early in his career, on stage, film, television and radio. More recently, a new generation of children and adults came to know him for his portrayal of Albus Dumbledore in the “Harry Potter” films,” President Higgins said.
“However, his was a talent delivered over six decades. As an actor he seemed boundless, be it through his work with Sir Laurence Oliver’s National Theatre in London, to his performances at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford. His friendship with the late Peter O’Toole reflected a commitment to the importance of work on stage that they shared.”
He said his achievements as an actor in several of Samuel Beckett’s plays, including at the Gate in Dublin, was part of a career “that included performances in the work of so many of the major playwrights of his time, including Harold Pinter”.
“Sir Michael Gambon leaves a great body of work that will remain as a compelling legacy, and a reminder to all who appreciated his work, of all that he accomplished.”
The President also expressed his condolences to Gambon’s wife Anne, his son Fergus and wider family, and to his fellow artists and many friends.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also paid tribute to Gambon, posting on social media that he was “a great actor”.
“Whether performing in Beckett, Dennis Potter or Harry Potter, he gave his all to every performance,” Varadkar said.
Rupert Grint, who starred as Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter film franchise, remembered the “warmth and mischief” Gambon brought to set as he paid tribute.
“He captivated me as a kid and became a personal role model of mine for finding the fun and eccentricities in life. Sending all my love to his family, Rupert”, he wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the actor dressed in full Dumbledore regalia.
Actor James Phelps, who played Fred Weasley in the Harry Potter films, tweeted that Gambon was “a legend” both “on and off camera”.
Very sorry to hear about the passing of Michael Gambon. He was, on and off the camera, a legend. Just a little memory of Michael pic.twitter.com/4M6E6inWMy
— James Phelps (@James_Phelps) September 28, 2023
Fellow Harry Potter castmate Fiona Shaw told BBC Radio 4 this afternoon that Gambon was a “magnificent trickster” and that “there was nothing like him – he could do anything”.
The Warner Brothers studio said it was “incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Michael Gambon”.
“He brought immeasurable joy to Harry Potter fans from all over the world with his humour, kindness and grace. We will forever hold his memory in our hearts.”
Helen Mirren recalled working alongside Gambon in 1982’s Antony And Cleopatra, and hailed him as an “extraordinary actor”.
She told BBC News she would smile when she thinks of him, adding: “Because he was incredibly funny. He had this natural Irish sense of humour, naughty but very, very funny. He was enormously self-deprecating, and at the same time an instinctive actor and a wonderful person to be around just in general.
“He kept me constantly in laughter, we had some very funny moments playing Antony and Cleopatra together.”
Mirren added that he made an “extraordinary contribution to the British landscape of theatre”, saying: “We will all miss him a lot.”
Julia Roberts also described working with Gambon on the 1996 film Mary Reilly as an “honour”, writing on Instagram: “He was always smiling, always kind. RIP Sir Michael Gambon. #legend.”
Additional reporting from Press Association
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