R.I.P. Paul Ritter, Chernobyl and Harry Potter Actor Dead at 54

08 April 2021

Paul Ritter, the English actor known for his roles in the HBO miniseries Chernobyl and films like Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and Quantum of Solace, has died at the age of 54.

According to a statement released by his agent, Ritter passed away Monday (April 5th) from complications related to a brain tumor.

“Paul was an exceptionally talented actor playing an enormous variety of roles on stage and screen with extraordinary skill,” Ritter’s agent said in a statement. “He was fiercely intelligent, kind and very funny. We will miss him greatly.”

In Chernobyl, Ritter portrayed Anatoly Dyatlov, the deputy chief engineer at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The 2019 mini-series went on to win 10 Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes.

On-screen, Ritter will be remembered for his role as Eldred Worple in 2009’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Guy Haines in the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace.

Ritter was also familiar to UK audiences for his co-starring role on the Channel 4 TV sitcom Friday Night Dinner. In 2012, the show received a BAFTA nomination for Best Situation Comedy.