Alan Rickman

Alan Rickman was the perfect choice to play Severus Snape, the Potions master who antagonizes Harry and his friends but is ultimately on the side of good. Rickman was a beloved figure to millions of “Potter” fans, and fans and actors alike paid tribute to him when he died of pancreatic cancer in 2016.

Richard Harris

The wise mentor Dumbledore doesn't die until the sixth “Potter” film, but unfortunately, audiences lost the first Dumbledore after only the second installment. Richard Harris passed away from pneumonia due to Hodgkin's disease in 2002, and the role was recast with Michael Gambon.

Richard Griffiths

In his pre-Hogwarts years, most of Harry’s turmoil is caused by the Dursleys, including his Uncle Vernon, played memorably by Richard Griffiths. Daniel Radcliffe would work with Griffiths again in a stage production of “Equus,” a few years before Griffiths’ death from heart surgery complications in 2013.

John Hurt

Plenty of legendary actors appeared in the “Harry Potter” series, and few were more renowned than John Hurt, who played the mysterious Ollivander. Hurt passed away in 2017 from complications from pancreatic cancer, leaving behind an enormous cinematic legacy.

Rik Mayall

Harry's time at Hogwarts might have been dangerous, but it was also rife with whimsy and mischief, mostly thanks to the school's resident poltergeist, Peeves. The antagonistic ghost’s scenes were ultimately cut from the franchise, but he was played in deleted scenes by Rik Mayall, who died of a heart attack in 2014.