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We have tragic news to report from the world of television today.
Anthony Head — the beloved actor best known for portraying Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the villainous Rupert Mannion on Ted Lasso — has passed away.
He was 72 years old.
Head’s daughters, actresses Emily Head and Daisy Head, announced his death in an emotional statement on Friday.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father, Anthony Head,” they said (via The Sun). “He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family.”
The sisters went on to reflect on the impact their father had both on those closest to him and on generations of television viewers.
“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.
Head enjoyed a career that spanned nearly five decades, but he will forever be associated with his role as Giles, the wise Watcher who guided Buffy Summers through countless battles against supernatural evil on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
For many fans, Giles served as the emotional center of the series, providing guidance, humor, and heart throughout the show’s seven-season run.
News of Head’s passing comes just weeks after the death of Nicholas Brendon, with whom he co-starred on Buffy.
In recent years, Head found a new generation of admirers thanks to his performance as Rupert Mannion, the manipulative former owner of AFC Richmond on Ted Lasso.
His work on the acclaimed comedy introduced his talents to viewers who may not have grown up with Buffy.
“We know how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues and fans of the shows he was in,” the statement from Head’s family continued.
“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.”
The family went on to express their confidence that Head’s work will continue to resonate with audiences.
“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,” they said. “How lucky we are to know we are able to watch him doing what he loved, even when he is no longer with us.”
The statement concluded with a request for privacy as the family mourns.
Our thoughts go out to Anthony Head’s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.
Anthony Head Cause of Death: ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Star Was 72 was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.