Meet Alan Rickman!

In the continuation of our beloved series “Meet the Characters,” today we will look at one of the most controversial characters in the entire wizarding series. It will be none other than the much-loved and hated Alan Rickman, a.k.a. Severus Snape!

Alan Rickman's Birth and Early Career

Alan Rickman, a British actor, was born on February 21, 1946, in London, England. He was born into a poor family, where his father passed away when Alan was just 8 years old. His first artistic steps led him to theater and later to graphic design, where he also worked as a graphic artist for 3 years. Interestingly, unlike many of his colleagues, Rickman chose to pursue an acting career relatively late, at the age of 26.

Rickman quickly rose to prominence in British television, and especially in the theater scene, where he became a member of the esteemed Royal Shakespeare Company. He also worked with the theater company in America, where he received a Tony Award nomination for his performance. Director Joel Silver noticed Rickman for his theatrical roles and cast him in his most famous film Die Hard. His portrayal of the villain Hans Gruber was phenomenal and opened the door to a significant film career for Rickman.

Severus Snape and Harry Potter

However, his unforgettable and most important role is that of Severus Snape, the Potions Master in the Harry Potter film series. This role not only brought him worldwide fame and recognition. Rickman portrayed this complex character from the very first film and continued to bring Snape strength, wisdom, and charismatic charm through to the final 7th film in the series. His acting contribution to the character was crucial for a deeper connection with the audience and for a faithful representation of the book character on screen.

In the film industry, Rickman was unafraid to take on diverse challenges. From dramatic roles to comedic parts, he excelled in fully immersing himself in various characters. Among other well-known films besides all the Harry Potter installments are his roles in the romantic comedy Love Actually, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, or Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, where he starred alongside his colleague and follower Lord Voldemort’s Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange.

Alan Rickman's Death

The last film where we could see Alan was Alice Through the Looking Glass. In the same year (2016), Alan's family announced with sadness that our beloved actor had passed away from pancreatic cancer, with which he had fought for a year. Alan will forever remain in our hearts as the brave Potions Master.