Jamie Christopher dead – Star Wars and Harry Potter director dies aged 52 as Hollywood pays tribute
DIRECTOR Jamie Christopher, famed for his work on the Harry Potter and Star Wars films, has passed away at the age of 52.
The Brit movie producer is understood to have died at his Los Angeles home from heart complications, according to .
The first assistant director was widely applauded for his work on the entirety of the uber-successful Harry Potter franchise.
He also proved his talents on several Star Wars and Marvel films, as well as iconic movies such as The Da Vinci Code.
Hollywood has been rocked by Jamie's sudden passing and a host of his filmmaker friends have shared heartfelt tributes to their late pal.
Marvel's Kevin Feige and Louis D'Esposito said in a joint statement: "We are incredibly saddened by Jamie’s passing.
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"He has been a part of the Marvel Studios team for over a decade, and on productions like Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Black Widow and more.
"He was a calm presence behind the camera, and a wonderful, supportive crew member on set.
"Jamie first joined Marvel Studios as an AD on Thor: The Dark World and because of his hard work and diligence was upped to an Executive Producer on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the upcoming Fantastic Four.
"Jamie was a beloved member of our Marvel Studios family, and he will be dearly missed. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to his family and friends."
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The director followed in the footsteps of his father Malcolm J. Christopher, a production manager, to embark on a career in showbiz.
Jamie also inherited his incredible talents from his mother, Penny Christopher, who was a production coordinator.
He was a production runner on Frederick Forsyth Presents in 1989 and later bagged the role of third assistant director on 1992's Alien 3.
The Brit rose the ranks throughout the 90s and soon became second assistant director on classics such as The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, Golden Eye and The Fifth Element.
He became first assistant director on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in 2001 and remained for all eight movies.
Jamie's other works include the likes of Resident Evil: Retribution and The Three Musketeers.
His expertise was soon listed for Marvel films, such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: The Dark World and Black Widow.
The dad was due to start work on Fantasic Four, which is set to be released in 2025.
Other notable gigs include Jamie's work on Justice League, Star Wars: Episode VII: The Last Jedi, Knives Out, Doctor Strange, Multiverse of Madness, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
American filmmaker Rian Johnson shared an Instagram post telling of his heartbreak and admiration for his late pal.
It read: "Jamie Christopher was one of the best ADs around, and a good friend.
"What made Jamie so special was the love he had for the process and history of making movies, but even more than that, it was his love of his crew.
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"A great AD controls a set not by shouting through a bullhorn but by earning a crew’s love and respect. Jamie was one of the all-time greats. We’ve lost him too soon."
Jamie is survived by his wife, Carly, their child, Killeon, as well as his three children from an earlier marriage: Stella, Teddy, and Ophelia.
