Robbie Coltrane Said Hagrid's Legacy Will Live on Through His Children Shortly Before His Death

Ian Gavan/Getty, Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection

In the months before Robbie Coltrane's death, the actor sweetly shared that even after his passing, his children will keep the memory of his Harry Potter character alive.

On Friday, multiple outlets reported that Coltrane, best known for playing Rubeus Hagrid in all eight Harry Potter movies, had died. He was 72.

"Robbie will probably be best remembered for decades to come as Hagrid ... a role which brought joy to children and adults alike, prompting a stream of fan letters every week for over 20 years," his agent told the BBC.

Coltrane is survived by his two children, daughter Alice, 24, and son Spencer, 30.

In the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, which aired on HBO Max earlier this year, Coltrane emotionally reflected on his time as Hagrid in the films, which were released between 2001 and 2011, and noted his children's important role in keeping Hagrid's legacy alive.

"I just think it's an end of an era. It's 10 years of my life, my children have grown up during it," he said.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

RELATED: Robbie Coltrane, Best Known for His Role as Hagrid in the 'Harry Potter' Series, Dead at 72: Reports

"The legacy of the movies is that my children's generation will show them to their children, so you could be watching it in 50 years' time, easy," he continued in the special. "I'll not be here sadly, but Hagrid will."

Coltrane's Harry Potter character Hagrid, the Hogwarts keeper of keys and grounds, is the first person Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) meets from the Wizarding World on his 11th birthday before setting off to Hogwarts, and becomes a mentor of sorts for the boy wizard.

While the actor's cause of death was not immediately apparent, Deadline reports that he "had been in ill health for the past two years," and died in Larbert, Scotland, in a hospital close to his home.

A longtime actor, Coltrane was also known for his roles in the James Bond films GoldenEye (1995) and The World Is Not Enough (1999).

He received several accolades over his career, including multiple British Academy Television Awards and BAFTA Awards. He was also appointed an OBE in 2006, by Queen Elizabeth.