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Anthony Head, ‘Buffy’ and ‘Ted Lasso’ actor, dies at 72

FOX Local
Entertainment
Updated June 5, 2026 9:14 AM MST Published June 5, 2026 9:02 AM MST
article

Cast member Anthony Head attends the press night performance of "Love in Idleness" at the Menier Chocolate Factory on March 20, 2017 in London, England.  (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

The Brief

    • Anthony Head, known for "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Ted Lasso," died at 72 from complications of pneumonia, his family said.
    • The British actor first gained fame in the U.K. through Nescafé Gold Blend commercials before finding international success as Rupert Giles in "Buffy."
    • Head’s career spanned more than four decades and included roles in "Merlin," "The Iron Lady" and numerous stage productions.

Anthony Head, the suave, smooth-voiced British actor known for roles in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Ted Lasso,’ has died, his family said Friday. He was 72.

What they're saying:

Head’s daughters, actors Emily and Daisy Head, told the Press Association news agency that the actor passed away due to complications from pneumonia.

The performer 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 Nescafe instant coffee.

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Head achieved U.S. fame as librarian Rupert Giles, mentor to the title character in the cult-favorite supernatural series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," which ran from 1997 to 2003.

He most recently played Rupert Mannion, the villainous ex-husband of Hannah Waddingham’s character Rebecca, in "Ted Lasso."

"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 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."

The backstory:

Born Feb. 20, 1954, in Camden Town, north London, Anthony Stewart Head was an English actor and musician whose career spanned television, film, theater and music. 

According to his official website, Head became a household name in the United Kingdom through the popular Nescafé Gold Blend commercials before achieving international fame as Rupert Giles in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." 

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He later starred as King Uther Pendragon in "Merlin," appeared in the Oscar-winning film "The Iron Lady," and earned acclaim for numerous television and stage roles throughout a career that lasted more than four decades.

A veteran of the stage, Head performed in productions including "Godspell," "Chess," "The Rocky Horror Show," Peter Shaffer’s "Yonadab," "Rope" and "Six Degrees of Separation." 

He was the youngest son of documentary filmmaker Seafield Head and actress Helen Shingler, and the younger brother of actor and singer Murray Head. He is survived by his daughters, actresses Emily Head and Daisy Head.

The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story came from statements released by Anthony Head's family through the Press Association and reported by multiple news outlets, including the BBC. This story was reported from Los Angeles. 

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