“Harry Potter” And “Doctor Who” Actor Simon Fisher-Becker Dies At 63

Simon Fisher-Becker, the beloved actor who played the ghostly Fat Friar in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, has passed away at the age of 63. His husband, Tony, shared the sad news in a heartfelt Facebook post on Sunday, March 9. 

“At 2:50 this afternoon Simon passed away,” he wrote. “I’ll be keeping this account open for a while. I’m not sure at this point if I’ll be posting again. Thank you.”

The cause of his death has not been revealed, but the news was also confirmed by his longtime manager, Kim Barry. “Today, I lost not only a client in Simon Fisher-Becker but a close personal friend of 15 years,” Barry said. She recalled how excited Simon was when he landed the role of Dorium Maldovar in Doctor Who, calling him a kind and gracious person who was always interested in others.

Simon’s acting career spanned over three decades, with 48 credited roles since 1990. While many fans recognize him from Harry Potter, he was also well-known in the Doctor Who universe, portraying the mysterious blue-skinned merchant Dorium Maldovar in multiple episodes. He also appeared in Les Misérables (2012) as part of the ensemble cast performing “Master of the House.”

Simon’s work extended beyond big-budget films and TV series. He starred in Waterside and Disaster Dates 2 (2023), among other projects. According to IMDb, he still had several upcoming films and television roles in development at the time of his passing.

Big Finish Productions, the company behind Doctor Who audio dramas, also paid tribute to him. “We were very sad to learn of the passing over the weekend of Simon Fisher-Becker, who many will know from his role as Dorium Maldovar on television and audio Doctor Who,” the company shared, adding, “Our condolences go out to his friends and family.”