“There was an inevitability about my being an actor since about the age of 7,” Alan Rickman once said. He began his career on the British stage, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1978 and earning a Tony award nomination for his groundbreaking role in "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" as Victome de Valmont in 1985.
Soon after he had established his reputation in England, and then on Broadway, Rickman became a recognizable face in Hollywood cinema through his villainous role alongside Bruce Willis in "Die Hard." He continued his on-screen acting career in the throughout the 90s with roles in "Truly, Madly, Deeply," "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves," and "Sense and Sensibility," among others.
He delved behind the scenes, in addition to his acting, towards the end of the decade by co-writing and directing his first film, "The Winter Guest." Rickman had proven himself to be cinematically talented and a respected individual in the industry by the time he was offered the renowned role of Professor Severus Snape in the year 2000 of the newly-developing "Harry Potter" franchise.
Growing up as a "Harry Potter"-devotee, Rickman will ALWAYS be remembered for bringing the bravest man Harry Potter ever knew to life. He embraced J.K. Rowling’s vision of loyalty to portray a complex and honorable character who never failed to continuously sway our emotions and unexpectedly tug at our heartstrings.
Following his passing at the age of 69 from cancer, those who had the pleasure of befriending and working alongside him, expressed their grief, as well as appreciation for his talent and character.
J.K. Rowling tweeted the morning of his death: “There are no words to express how shocked and devastated I am to hear of Alan Rickman’s death. He was a magnificent actor & a wonderful man. My thoughts are with Rima and the rest of Alan’s family. We have all lost a great talent. They have lost part of their hearts.”
Emma Thompson had appeared alongside Rickman in roles including "Sense and Sensibility," "Love Actually," as well as three of the eight "Harry Potter" films, and as a tribute to his passing, she offered up these beautiful words: “He was, above all things, a rare and unique human being and we shall not see his like again.”
J.K. Rowling has proven that Professor Snape truly can teach someone to “put a stopper on death,” seeing that Rickman is forever immortalized in cinema and in our hearts.
