Anthony Head, the beloved British actor best known for playing Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Rupert Mannion in Ted Lasso, has died at the age of 72. His death comes just six months after his partner, animal therapist and rights campaigner Sarah Fisher, passed away from thyroid cancer at 61.
Family Confirms the News
Head's daughters, Emily and Daisy, confirmed the news in an online statement: “He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family. It has been, and forever will be, an honour and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed first-hand the impact both he and his work have had on so many.”
They added: “We know how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues, and fans of the shows he was in – he loved his job very much, and he always considered himself incredibly lucky, to have been able to work alongside such exceptionally talented people, in such wonderful productions, across a career that spanned several decades. Our grief is far greater than the hole he has left behind, but we know his legacy will live on, in the shows he was a part of, and in the audiences that love them. How lucky we are to know we are able to watch him doing what he loved, even when he is no longer with us. We kindly ask that our privacy is respected at this difficult time.”
Anthony Head's Career Highlights
Head began his career on stage in the 1978 West End revival of Godspell. He went on to appear in Lady Chatterley's Lover (1981), A Prayer for the Dying (1987), and sang backing vocals for the pop group Red Box. He became a household name in the UK through Nescafé's Gold Blend adverts, before achieving international fame as Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His other credits include Little Britain, Merlin, The Iron Lady, The Inbetweeners Movie, and most recently Ted Lasso.
Tributes Pour In
Sarah Michelle Gellar, who starred alongside Head in Buffy, shared an emotional tribute on Instagram: “Tell Giles I figured it out and I'm ok. Well, I don't have it figured out, and I'm not ok. But I know I'm the lucky one because I knew you. Thank you to Daisy and Emily who not only shared their dad with me, but with the world.”
Fans worldwide have also expressed their sorrow, remembering Head's warmth and talent. His legacy will live on through his memorable performances across decades of work.
