LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 27: Sir Michael Gambon seen leaving the BBC Radio Studios on January 27, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Neil Mockford/Alex Huckle/GC Images)
Actor Michael Gambon has passed away at age 82. Known in part for his role as Dumbledore in the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, his wife and son confirmed his death via a statement on Thursday (Sept. 28).
“We ask that you respect our privacy at this painful time and thank you for your messages of support and love,” wife Anne and son Fergus said.
NBC reports that Gambon’s family released the statement via publicist Clair Dobbs. It reportedly revealed that Michael Gambon “died peacefully in the hospital.”
Currently, no public information is available about Gambon’s cause of death.
Michael Gambon was a critically acclaimed and awarded actor who started on the theater stage before TV and films. He was a four-time award winner with the British Academy of Film and Television and a three-time Olivier Award winner.
Many in the United States (and globally) might remember him for his time as Dumbledore in “Harry Potter” from the third to the eighth movie in the franchise.
Jason Isaacs, who played the role of Lucius Malfoy in the majority of the films, dedicated a message to Michael on Thursday.
“Magnificent Michael Gambon has died. I learned what acting could be from Michael in The Singing Detective – complex, vulnerable, and utterly human. The greatest thrill of being in the Potter films was that he knew my name and shared his fearless, filthy sense of fun with me.”
Meanwhile, James Phelps, the actor behind Fred Weasley’s character, also shared a touching story about the late Gambon on his Instagram feed.
“He was always very funny and very welcoming to share any knowledge he had,” Phelps wrote.
James revealed that when they were shooting Dumbledore’s final clock tower scene, Michael used his downtime to help him rehearse for a “Peter and the Wolf” reading with the Manchester Halle orchestra. He says the memory is “one of the highlights of [his “Harry Potter”] days.”
