Anthony Head, an actor best known for starring in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” has died. He was 72.
Head, who more recently appeared in the hit show “Ted Lasso,” died from complications of pneumonia, The Associated Press reported. His family shared the news Friday, adding that he was at home and surrounded by loved ones when he died.
“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,” his daughters, Emily and Daisy Head, 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.”
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Head became known to British TV audiences in the 1980s as one half of a will-they-won’t-they romantic couple in a series of ads for Nescafé instant coffee.
Head achieved U.S. fame as librarian Rupert Giles, mentor to the title character in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” which ran from 1997 to 2003.
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He most recently played Rupert Mannion, the villainous ex-husband of Hannah Waddingham’s character Rebecca, in “Ted Lasso.”
In addition to his work onscreen, Head was known for his time on the stage. In the late ‘70s, before he began working in front of the camera, he starred in a West End production of “Godspell.” Other notable theatrical roles include Captain Hook in a 2003 production of “Peter Pan” at London’s Savoy Theatre and multiple turns as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Show.”
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While he acted for decades, he wasn’t afraid of the changes to his career through the years.
“Getting old is a heap of fun for an actor, because the older you get, the better the roles get,” he told The Guardian in 2010. “The past three or four years have been really interesting.”
In December 2025, Head lost his partner of more than 40 years, Sarah Fisher. Their daughters described Fisher’s death as “immensely shocking.” She was 61.
“There’s no secret to a long-lasting relationship, although Sarah has said it’s that we spend an enormous amount of time apart,” Head told The Guardian. “A sense of humour is of huge importance. It’s about tolerance, and liking the person you’re with. I adore Sarah.”
Head is survived by his two daughters.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
