On June 20, 2026, British actor Michael Byrne, recognized for his performances in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, passed away. He was 82 years old.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Michael Byrne,” a representative mentioned in a statement. “Michael will be remembered as an extraordinary actor whose talent, warmth, and sense of humour touched so many.”

Michael Byrne shared the screen with Alison Doody in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, as highlighted by Alamy files. While the cause of Byrne’s death remains undisclosed, his passing was initially reported by The Guardian.

Byrne’s illustrious career in film and television spanned from the 1960s, his most recent work dating to 2023, as verified by his IMDb page. Among his notable roles was in Mel Gibson’s Braveheart, where he played a violent soldier named Smythe.

His television career began with appearances in series such as No Hiding Place, Silent Playground, and ITV Saturday Night Theatre. Byrne’s film debut was in The Scarlet Blade in 1963, later retitled The Crimson Blade for the U.S. market.

His stage career also flourished with a variety of roles for Laurence Olivier’s National Theatre Company. Byrne participated in productions like Romeo and Juliet, The Cherry Orchard, Much Ado About Nothing, Death and the Maiden at the Royal Court, The Double Dealer, and The Seagull.

In the Harry Potter series, he portrayed an older version of Gellert Grindelwald, a notorious dark wizard. Through his seven-decade career, Byrne accumulated more than 170 credits across television, film, and theater, as reported by Variety.