By: Harleen Kaur
Alan Rickman passed away Thursday, January 14 after a long battle with cancer at the age of 69. Rickman, a British actor, was best known for his roles as Snape in the “Harry Potter” series, Hans Gruber in “Die Hard”, and Harry in “Love Actually”. Rickman won multiple awards including a BAFTA Award for best supporting actor in “Robin Hood” and the Golden Globe for best actor in the HBO biopic “Rasputin.”
Rickman was born in 1946, and although he had had an early interest in acting he decided to study graphic design in college. He even owned a design business with his friends following graduation. Although, he applied to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, an acting school in England, at the age of 25. He had said after that it was inevitable that he would become an actor. In 1978, he found roles in British television and theater; he was even nominated for a Tony Award in 1988 for his role in “Les Liaisons Dangereuses.” The same year he went to Hollywood and was offered the role of one of the most iconic villainous roles in film; Hans Gruber. Rickman’s expertise in “Die Hard” led him to multiple villainous roles such as Severus Snape.
Rickman took the part of Snape without knowing much about the character. Although, he had stated that he had always known that he was an unusually complex character. And that proved to be true, and Rickman, along with all of his fans, began to see how much the character evolves. Snape, the sarcastic Potions master with a hard exterior, had touched the hearts of many throughout our generation with his tragic backstory and underlying emotions and anguish.
Many turned to social media to display their sorrow and condolences after his loss. Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, JK Rowling, and many others expressed how sad they were to lose such a talented actor. His five-time costar and friend, Emma Thompson, wrote she had, “just kissed him goodbye” and he was, “A rare and unique human being and we shall not see his like again.” Alan Rickman was an iconic actor who touched the hearts of many. He will be terribly missed not only by those who knew him personally but by his fans around the world.
