Nanny McPhee Co-Star 'Heartbroken' Over Raphael Coleman’s Death At Age 25
British actor Raphael Coleman was only 11-years-old when he made his film debut as red-haired bespectacled Eric Brown in the 2005 U.K. family movie Nanny McPhee. Coleman later quit acting after 2009, took up the name Iggy Fox, and became an environmental activist. Tragically, he died February 6, 2020 at age 25. How did he die? According to his stepfather Carsten Jensen, "He collapsed without prior health problems in the middle of a trip and could not be restored."
In Nanny McPhee, Raphael Coleman played one of Cedric Brown's (Colin Firth) seven children. Eliza Bennett played another one of the children, Tora Brown. Bennett reacted to the death of her former co-star, saying she was "heartbroken" by the news:
Raphael Coleman is credited in three more movies after Nanny McPhee -- It's Alive, The Fourth Kind, and the short film Edward's Turmoil. All three were released in 2009. In 2018, he spoke to The Adventures Ahead about being a wildlife biologist and conservation worker, mentioning his courses in zoology and world travel. Here's how he described the pivotal moment that taught him his dream:
Raphael Coleman also became an active member of the climate activism group Extinction Rebellion. His mother, Liz Jensen, confirmed his death via Twitter and linked to an article he wrote for XR.
That article ends with an embed to this very recent video showing Raphael Coleman/Iggy Fox talking about going from a child star to his latest work:
Raphael Coleman's stepfather, Carsten Jensen posted a lengthy Facebook tribute to the young man, honoring his passion and legacy:
It's hard to believe someone so young with so much passion is already gone. Film fans and his co-stars will always remember him fondly from Emma Thompson's Nanny McPhee movie, but it's clear Raphael Coleman/Iggy Fox's legacy goes much deeper than that. He will be missed.
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Gina grew up in Massachusetts and California in her own version of The Parent Trap. She went to three different middle schools, four high schools, and three universities -- including half a year in Perth, Western Australia. She currently lives in a small town in Maine, the kind Stephen King regularly sets terrible things in, so this may be the last you hear from her.
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