The worlds of film and television were shocked and saddened this past week after it was confirmed that beloved Harry Potter and Peaky Blinders star Helen McCrory had passed away at the age of 52. McCrory’s husband Damian Lewis confirmed the news of her death via social media and, since then, fans have taken to the web to pay tribute to the late star. Now, alongside fans, many of McCrory’s co-stars and collaborators like J.K. Rowling and Tom Felton are taking the time to remember her.
Helen McCrory was arguably best known to fans for her portrayal of Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise, in which she appeared in three films. Series creator J.K. Rowling took to Twitter to pay tribute to the late actress:
Although Helen McCrory appeared in less than half of the Harry Potter films, her performance as the matriarch of the Malfoy family was praised by fans. She was also admired by her co-stars, including her on-screen son, Tom Felton. The Draco Malfoy actor penned a loving tribute to McCrory on Instagram, remembering her as “kind & warm hearted” among other things:
Jason Isaacs, who played Malfoy patriarch Lucius, also set aside time to mark the passing of Helen McCrory. The veteran actor released a sweet message in a Twitter post in which he recalled one of his earliest encounters with McCrory:
Of course, Helen McCrory was also widely recognized for her role as Polly Gray in the hit BBC show Peaky Blinders. Cillian Murphy, who plays lead character Tommy Shelby, paid tribute to his on-screen aunt in a statement (via Variety):
I am broken-hearted to lose such a dear friend. Helen was a beautiful, caring, funny, compassionate human being. She was also a gifted actor — fearless and magnificent. She elevated and made humane every scene, every character she played. It was a privilege to have worked with this brilliant woman, to have shared so many laughs over the years. I will dearly miss my pal. My love and thoughts are with Damian and her family.
Peaky Blinders’ Sam Claflin also spoke out on the actress’ death. The Oswald Mosley actor referred to Helen McCrory as “one of a kind”:
Other stars across Hollywood have also paid tribute to Helen McCrory. Midsommar and Black Widow star Florence Pugh posted a sweet message on her Instagram stories, in which she said she was “heartbroken” to learn of McCrory’s death:
With her passing, Helen McCrory leaves behind an exceptional legacy and a body of work that managed to reach numerous people. These various tributes, however, also prove not just how great a performer she was, but how amazing a person she was as well. The actress will certainly be missed, but we’ll continue to cherish her memory.
We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to the loved ones of Helen McCrory during this difficult time.
