JK Rowling and Rupert Grint pay tribute to actor Michael Gambon

JK Rowling, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are among those who have hailed Harry Potter star Sir Michael Gambon as a "wonderful man" and an "outstanding actor".

The Dublin-born star of stage and screen died peacefully in hospital late on Wednesday aged 82, his family said.

Sir Michael found a legion of new fans in recent years after starring in six of the eight "Harry Potter" films as the beloved Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts.

Rowling, who wrote the "Harry Potter" book series on which the films were based, paid tribute to Sir Michael saying she first saw him perform in "King Lear" in 1982 and if someone had told her the late actor "would appear in anything I'd written, I'd have thought you were insane".

The author sent her condolences to his family and those who loved him as she recalled her experience of working with him on the "Harry Potter" films and in the BBC's 2015 adaptation of her book "The Casual Vacancy."

"Michael was a wonderful man in addition to being an outstanding actor, and I absolutely loved working with him, not only on Potter but also 'The Casual Vacancy,'" she said.

Grint, who starred as Ron Weasley in the "Harry Potter" film franchise, remembered the "warmth and mischief" Sir Michael brought to set as he paid tribute.

"He captivated me as a kid and became a personal role model of mine for finding the fun and eccentricities in life. Sending all my love to his family, Rupert," he wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the actor dressed in full Dumbledore regalia.

Watson, who played Hermione Granger alongside Grint, recalled how Sir Michael would never take things "too seriously" but would still deliver "the most serious moments with all the gravitas".

"Thank you for showing us what it looks like to wear greatness lightly. We will miss you xx," she added in a post on her Instagram story.

Dame Helen Mirren recalled working alongside Sir Michael in 1982's "Antony And Cleopatra", and hailed him as an "extraordinary actor".

She told BBC News she would smile when she thinks of him, adding: "Because he was incredibly funny. He had this natural Irish sense of humour, naughty but very, very funny. He was enormously self-deprecating, and at the same time an instinctive actor and a wonderful person to be around just in general.

"He kept me constantly in laughter, we had some very funny moments playing Antony and Cleopatra together."

Dame Helen added that he made an "extraordinary contribution to the British landscape of theatre", saying: "We will all miss him a lot."

Sir Michael was also known for playing French detective Jules Maigret in ITV series "Maigret", and for his 1986 role as Philip Marlow in Dennis Potter's "The Singing Detective".

A statement issued on behalf of Lady Gambon and son Fergus Gambon said: "We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon.

"Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia."

Sir Michael made his first appearance on stage in a production of "Othello" at the Gates Theatre, Dublin, in 1962 when he returned to Ireland following his move to the UK.

His illustrious theatre career also includes appearances in Alan Ayckbourn's "The Norman Conquests", "The Life Of Galileo" and Nicholas Hytner's National Theatre production of "Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2".

In 2016 he appeared as Private Godfrey in the big screen adaptation of "Dad's Army", and his other film roles included period dramas such as 2010's "The King's Speech", 2001's "Gosford Park" and 2017's "Victoria & Abdul".

He was knighted for his contribution to the entertainment industry in 1998.