Raphael Coleman, Nanny McPhee star dies aged 25

Nanny McPhee star Raphael Coleman has died aged 25 after collapsing while jogging.

Raphael, best known for playing Eric Brown in Nanny McPhee film in 2005, had no ‘prior health problems’ when he passed away.

His stepfather Carsten Jensen wrote on Facebook that Raphael passed away on Friday after he could not be revived.

He wrote: “To die young. I guess there’s nothing that makes you see death as unfair and meaningless as when a young person dies. It’s life itself that’s sabotaged. It just happened to my wife, Liz, whose youngest son, Raph of only 25, died last Friday.”

Raphael’s mother Liz Jensen paid tribute to him on Twitter, writing: “Rest in peace my beloved son Raphael Coleman, aka Iggy Fox.

“He died doing what he loved, working for the noblest cause of all. His family could not be prouder. Let’s celebrate all he achieved in his short life and cherish his legacy.”

Under the name Iggy Fox, Raphael ran Extinction Rebellion’s social media and spoke at demonstrations. His stepfather told how he was “arrested again and again” and was one of the first and most active members of the group. 

Extinction Rebellion is a movement that aims to compel government to take action to avoid tipping points in the climate system.

Tributes have poured in for Raphael. One Twitter user described him as “one of the most beautiful souls you could hope to meet”.

Another added: “So very, very sorry for your loss of such a wise and exuberant young man. RIP Iggy Fox.”

After starring in Nanny McPhee, Raphael went on to feature in the 2009 American horror film, it’s Alive, as Daniel Davis.   In the same year he also starred as Edward in Edward’s Turmoil and The Fourth Kind as Ronnie Tyler. 

At 18 he travelled to Thailand where he pursued his passion for science and became a biologist. He later went to Costa Rica and Indonesia where he qualified as a diver before working for Extinction Rebellion.