Anthony Head, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Ted Lasso” star, dies at 72

British actor Anthony Head, best known for playing librarian and mentor Rupert Giles on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” has died at 72, his talent agency Gordon & French confirmed to CBS News on Friday.

Head’s daughters said he had died of complications from pneumonia.

“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,” Daisy and Emily Head said in a statement shared with CBS News partner BBC News. “How lucky we are to know we are able to watch him doing what he loved, even when he is no longer with us.”

Head rose to fame in England in the 1980s, then became internationally known with his leading role on “Buffy” in the late 1990s. He was best known for his deep baritone voice and was a frequent face on television, including a role on the British classic “Doctor Who.” He also appeared in films including “The Iron Lady” with Meryl Streep and 2024’s “Upgraded.” 

Head most recently appeared on Apple TV’s “Ted Lasso,” where he played villainous team owner Rupert Mannion throughout the show’s first three seasons. Head did not appear in a recent teaser trailer for the show’s upcoming fourth season.

Daisy and Emily Head noted that their father “always considered himself very lucky” and said that he “loved his job very much.” They also said “his legacy will live on” through his entertainment work.

Head spent his life in England. He shared his two daughters with longtime partner Sarah Fisher. Fisher, an animal welfare advocate, died in December, according to BBC News.

Daisy and Emily Head said their father died surrounded by his family. 

“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,” they said.

Head’s “Buffy” co-star Nicholas Brendon died from natural causes in March at the age of 54. Michelle Trachtenberg, who joined the supernatural series in its fourth season, died in February 2025 due to diabetes complications.