Anthony Head, the veteran actor best known to generations of fans for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and more recently “Ted Lasso,” has died. He was 72.
Head died peacefully from complications tied to pneumonia, his daughters, Emily and Daisy Head, said in a statement shared with the Press Association.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father, Anthony Head. He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family,” the statement said.
Head’s death comes just six months after the sudden death of his longtime partner, Sarah Fisher, who died in December at 61.
Fisher’s daughters announced her death on Facebook at the time, writing, “It is immensely shocking to us all, and came with very little warning.”
Head became a cult favorite for his role as Rupert Giles on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” playing the Watcher and father figure to Buffy Summers, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar.
For many viewers, Giles was the steady hand in the middle of the supernatural chaos, bringing a mix of dry British wit, moral backbone and old-school authority to the beloved series.
Anthony Head, the British actor best known for his roles in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Ted Lasso,” has died at 72.
His daughters shared in a statement that he “passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family.”https://t.co/TOTGKcKLzx pic.twitter.com/B1IcHWi9Zk
— Variety (@Variety) June 5, 2026
Head later found a new audience on Apple TV+’s “Ted Lasso,” where he played Rupert Mannion, the ruthless ex-husband of Rebecca Welton, played by Hannah Waddingham, and former owner of AFC Richmond.
His daughters said it will “forever be an honor and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many.”
“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.”
The statement continued with a tribute to the legacy Head leaves behind after nearly five decades in television, film and theater.
“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,” the statement continued. “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
Head’s most recent role came in the 2024 film “Upgraded.”
Before that, his turn in “Ted Lasso” gave him a sharp, villainous role that stood in stark contrast to the warmth many fans remembered from “Buffy.”
Across his long career, Head also appeared in “Merlin,” “Little Britain,” “Dominion” and “The Stranger.”
His work stretched across decades and genres, from fantasy and comedy to drama and streaming-era hits.
But whether fans knew him as Giles, Rupert Mannion or one of his many other characters, Head built a career as the kind of actor who made every scene better by simply showing up.
He is survived by his daughters, Emily and Daisy.
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