As someone whose childhood was partially defined by the wonderful wizard world of “Harry Potter,” seeing the seven books come alive on the big screen over the course of several years was incredible. However, I definitely had complaints about the actors. For example, Daniel Radcliffe came off as boring at times. Rupert Grint lacked the freckles that Ron Weasley would undoubtedly have. Michael Gambon was a little too aggressive to be Dumbledore. The one character that was a perfect match was Alan Rickman, who portrayed Severus Snape. Unfortunately, Rickman passed away at the age of 69 in London while surrounded by family and friends on Thursday after battling with cancer.
Rickman is most famous for his role in Harry Potter, but the British actor has starred in a number of extremely popular films during his vast career. His acting career began in Britain as he starred in several theatrical performances, such as “Romeo and Juliet” and “A View from the Bridge.”
Rickman advanced in the acting world, and he began participating in larger roles. One of the first very noteworthy movies he participated in was “Die Hard,” playing the role of the main villain named Hans Gruber. Although Rickman continued to play the bad guy in a number of films, he saw it differently.
“I don’t play villains, I play very interesting people,” Rickman said regarding his numerous roles as the antagonist in films he has starred in.
Some other notable movies that Rickman acted in are the 1991 version of “Robin Hood,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Sense and Sensibility,” the 2010 version of “Alice in Wonderland,” and several other movies. His filmography consists of an impressive 66 movies.
Despite his quite lengthy career, Rickman’s portrayal of Snape is what will be remembered for a plethora of years to come. 450 million copies of the Harry Potter books have been sold since the original book was released, and the character Snape appears in every book. In the last few books, Snape’s character development is integral to the story, and Rickman’s skills as an actor shine brightly. J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, took to social media to comment on Rickman’s passing.
“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,” Rowling said on Thursday morning.
Rickman acquired a large number of awards for his successes in acting. These include a BAFTA award for best actor in a supporting role, a Golden Globe for best actor in a miniseries or television film, an MTV World Cup award for favorite Harry Potter portrayal, and a People’s Choice award for favorite ensemble movie cast.
Rickman will still be in one final movie. “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” the sequel to the 2010 movie Alice in Wonderland comes out on May 27, 2016. Rickman will voice Absolem, the caterpillar.
Although Rickman has passed away, it is important to cherish the art he assisted in creating, so that his legacy is not forgotten.
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