Beloved 'Harry Potter' and 'Doctor Who' Actor Dead at 63

Some very sad news to share today. Treasured fantasy actor, Simon Fisher-Becker, who appeared in dozens of films and television shows, including Les Misérables (2012), Afterlife, Vicious, Doctor Who, and the Harry Potter franchise, has died at the age of 63.

News of the actor’s death was shared by his husband, Tony, on his Facebook page. The message was short, and the heartbroken husband shared that Mr. Fisher-Becker had passed away early in the afternoon on March 9.

Hello everyone. This is Tony, Simon’s husband .

I have some very sad news. At 2:50 this afternoon Simon passed away.

I’ll be keeping this account open for a while. I’m not sure at this point if I’ll be posting again. Thank you.

Shortly after news of the actor’s death was made public, Kim Barry — Mr. Fisher-Becker’s manager and friend — released a statement to Entertainment Weekly:

“Today, I lost not only a client Simon Fisher-Becker but a close personal friend of 15 years standing. I shall never forget the phone call I made to him when he was offered the part of ‘Dorium’ in Dr Who. He had been a fan of the show since he was a child. Simon was also a writer, a raconteur and a great public speaker. He helped me out enormously and was always kind, gracious and interested in everyone. My condolences go to his Husband Tony, his brother, nieces and nephews and his legion of fans.”

Simon Fisher-Beckmen as Dorium Maldovar in Doctor Who — Credit: Video Screenshot, ‘Doctor Who’, BBC Studios

Mr. Fisher-Becker was most well-known for his roles in both Doctor Who, where he played Dorium Maldovar, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, where he played the Fat Friar. The Fat Friar roamed the halls of Hogwarts and greeted all of the students who walked through the doors. He was a part of the school for centuries, having attended Hogwarts in the late 900s, and was even taught by Helga Hufflepuff herself.

While he was known for those iconic roles, he appeared in dozens of films and television shows over more than thirty years. This includes the television shows Hale and Pace, One Foot in the Grave, 99-1, Love Soup, Getting On, and 3Some.

When it comes to films, he starred in both feature-length and short films, including An Ungentlemanly Act (1992), Beg! (1994), Looking For Alfred (2005), and The Zombie Glitch (2013).

Simon Becker as The Fat Friar in Harry Potter — Credit: Warner Bros.

Sadly, Mr. Fisher-Becker is not the first Harry Potter star to pass away in recent years. Dame Maggie Smith, who played Professor Minerva McGonagall, passed away in 2024 at the age of 89. Michael Gambon, who played Albus Dumbledore, died in 2023; he was just 82 years old. One year before Mr. Gambon’s death, Robbie Coltrane, AKA Hagrid, died at the age of 72.

Alan Rickman, who played Professor Snape in the iconic franchise, died in 2016; Richard Griffiths, who played Vernon Dursley, passed away in 2013; Helen McCrory, who played Narcissa Malfoy, died in 2021; and 18-year-old Robbie Knox (Marcus Belby) was tragically murdered in 2008.

Robbie Coltrane playing Hagrid in the 'Harry Potter' franchise — Credit: Warner Bros.

Unfortunately, that is just a partial list of all of the Harry Potter actors and actresses who have passed away since the first film premiered in 2001.

At this time, Mr. Fisher-Becker’s cause of death has not been released. We do not know if an autopsy is being performed or if a cause of death will be revealed in the future.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Simon Fisher-Becker. May he rest in eternal peace.