Actor Anthony Head died from complications of pneumonia, his daughters announced.
Anthony Head, best known for playing Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was born on February 20, 1954, in Camden Town, London.
The news was confirmed by his family, who shared a statement with the media, saying it was due to complications from pneumonia. “He passed away peacefully from complications of pneumonia, surrounded by his family,” his daughters, Emily and Daisy, said. “It has been, and always will be, an honor and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact he and his work have had on so many people,” they added.
His father, Seafield Laurence Stewart Murray Head, was a documentary filmmaker, and his mother, Helen Shingler, was a film and television actress. His brother, Murray Head, is also an actor and singer.
Head began his career acting in various musicals, including a 1990 West End revival of The Rocky Horror Show, where he played Frank N. Furter.
His big break came in 1997 when he played Rupert Giles in Joss Whedon’s television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series ran for seven seasons and was based on Whedon’s 1992 film of the same name. While working as a librarian at her school, Giles becomes Buffy’s (Sarah Michelle Gellar) mentor as her Watcher.
Head then began a recurring role on the Apple TV series Ted Lasso, playing Rupert Mannion, Rebecca’s (Hannah Waddingham) ex-husband.
Bill Lawrence stated at the time that the character’s name, Rupert, like his character’s name on Buffy, was a coincidence.
“We thought it would be great, playing a somewhat atypical role as a truly villainous and despicable character, but one who would still be charming,” Lawrence said.
Head also appeared in other television series throughout his career, such as Merlin, Motherland, and Jack Ryan. His last credited film role was in the romantic comedy Upgraded, released on Prime Video in 2024.
Sarah Fisher, Head’s partner of many years and the mother of his daughters, passed away in December 2025.
The Buffy cast has been affected by a wave of tragedies in recent years. Nicholas Brendon, who played Xander in the supernatural drama, passed away in March at the age of 54. Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy’s sister Dawn, passed away in February 2025 at the age of 39.
Gellar mentioned at an event earlier this year, “This business is very tough, and we have had—it seems we have had—more tragedies than other series.”
