British actor Sir Michael Gambon has died. He passed away Thursday at the age of 82 in the hospital after suffering from pneumonia. His death was reported by his widow, Lady Gambon, and his son, Fergus Gambon. His publicist, Clair Dobbs, issued a statement that was obtained by Mirror:

Albus Dumbledore, Sir Michael Gambon's most famous role

The "Harry Potter" film saga was, without a doubt, one of the most successful of Gambon's acting career. He played the headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, in six of the eight films that make up the saga. The role was obtained after the sudden death of the original actor, Richard Harris in 2004.

Gambon's other well-known roles were that of a psychotic mafia leader in "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover" (1989) as well as the elderly King George V in "The King's Speech" (2010). On the small screen, his roles in "The Singing Detective" and "Maigret" also stood out.

Born in 1940, the performer began in the world of acting in 1962. Throughout his career, Gambon won four BAFTA awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, among many others. However, his greatest honor was when, recalls The Guardian, in 1998, Queen Elizabeth II of England appointed him Knight Bachelor for his acting contribution to the United Kingdom.

The acting world bids farewell to Gambon

The acting world was quick to offer its condolences to mourn the death of Sir Michael Gambon. One of the first to bid farewell was his "Harry Potter" co-star James Phelps, who played Fred Weasley in the iconic film saga:

He was not the only one. Throughout the morning, BAFTA, as well as actors and fans of the magical universe took to social media to mourn the death of the actor who played the iconic Albus Dumbledore: