Anthony Stewart Head, the British actor beloved by generations of television fans for his role as the wise and steadfast Watcher Rupert Giles in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," died peacefully on June 5, 2026. He was 72.
Head spent years building a formidable stage and television career in Britain—including lead roles at the Royal National Theatre—before his face became instantly recognizable to U.K. audiences through a long-running series of Nescafé Gold Blend commercials. That fame paled in comparison to what came next. When "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" launched in the late 1990s, Head's portrayal of Rupert Giles—the Watcher and father figure to Buffy Summers, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar—turned him into an international star.
His career never slowed. He went on to play the powerful and morally complex King Uther Pendragon in the BBC fantasy series "Merlin," and appeared in a string of other notable productions including "Little Britain," "Dominion," and "The Stranger.” On the big screen, he portrayed former British Foreign Secretary Geoffrey Howe in the Oscar-winning film "The Iron Lady.”
In later years, a new generation of fans came to know him through the Apple TV+ comedy-drama "Ted Lasso," where he played Rupert Mannion—the scheming ex-husband of Rebecca Welton, played by Hannah Waddingham, and former owner of AFC Richmond—across the show's first three seasons. He did not appear in a recent teaser trailer for the show's upcoming fourth season. His most recent film credit was the 2024 romantic comedy "Upgraded.”
Head is survived by his daughters Emily and Daisy Head, both actresses.