Anthony Head, 'Buffy' and 'Ted Lasso' actor, dies at 72 from pneumonia complications
The British actor, best known as Rupert Giles in 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and Rupert Mannion in 'Ted Lasso', died peacefully surrounded by family, his daughters announced.
Family announcement
Anthony Head died on Friday at the age of 72. His daughters, Emily and Daisy Head, confirmed the news in a statement to the BBC and the Press Association. "He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family," the statement read.
It has been, and forever will be, an honour and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many.
The family added that Head loved his job and always considered himself incredibly lucky to have worked alongside talented people across a career spanning several decades.
The defining role: Rupert Giles
Head gained international fame in 1997 when he took on the role of Rupert Giles, the Watcher and mentor to Sarah Michelle Gellar's Buffy Summers in the cult series 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'. He appeared in 121 episodes across the show's seven-season run, as a main cast member for the first five seasons and a recurring character for the final two. The role was so popular that series creator Joss Whedon once considered a 'Ripper' spin-off film centred on Giles, though it never materialised.
David Boreanaz, who played Angel in the series, paid tribute on Instagram Stories. "RIP. He was so kind and generous of a soul," Boreanaz wrote.
Head's death follows the loss of two other 'Buffy' cast members: Nicholas Brendon, who played Xander Harris, died in March at age 54, and Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Dawn Summers, died in 2025 at age 39.
A four-decade career across television and stage
Beyond 'Buffy', Head built a prolific career in British and international television. He played King Uther Pendragon in the fantasy series 'Merlin', the Prime Minister in the sketch comedy 'Little Britain', and appeared in 'Doctor Who'. More recently, he reached a new generation of viewers as the manipulative former club owner Rupert Mannion in the Apple TV+ comedy 'Ted Lasso', and took a supporting role as Lord Sheffield in the second season of Netflix's 'Bridgerton'. His final film role was in 'Upgraded', released in 2024.
Head was also a singer and stage performer. He released the album 'Music for Elevators' in 2002 and 'Staring at the Sun' in 2014, a collaboration with musician George Sarah. His theatre work included productions of 'Godspell', 'Chess', 'The Rocky Horror Show', and 'Peter Pan' on London's West End.
Early fame and family background
Born in North London on 20 February 1954, Head came from a creative family. His father, Seafield Head, was a documentary filmmaker and founder of Verity Films; his mother, Helen Shingler, was an actress. His older brother, Murray Head, found musical success with the 1984 hit 'One Night in Bangkok'. Anthony studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and began his screen career with small TV roles in the late 1970s.
Before his breakthrough in 'Buffy', Head was already a familiar face in the United Kingdom thanks to a series of Nescafé Gold Blend commercials that aired from the late 1980s into the early 1990s.
Personal loss
Head's death comes six months after the sudden passing of his long-term partner, Sarah Fisher, who died in December 2025 at the age of 61. The couple's daughters described her death at the time as occurring without any prior warning, leaving family and friends deeply shaken.
