The British actor Alan Rickman has died of cancer at age 69. He was a good guy who perfected the art of playing bad guys, from the villain in “Die Hard” to a stern, snarky teacher in the “Harry Potter” movies. And, he is another talented baby boomer to pass away.
Alan Rickman
Rickman’s appeal cut across many generations and audiences. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his role as a baddie in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” on Broadway in 1987. A year later, he became a movie star thanks to his role as the classically educated but evil Hans Gruber in “Die Hard.” In 1990, he played a ghost in the touching love story “Truly Madly Deeply” with Juliet Stevenson.
But Rickman is probably best remembered now as Professor Severus Snape, the intimidating wizard with a jet-black Prince Valiant haircut in eight Harry Potter movies from 2001 to 2011. An early antagonist of young Harry, he proved to be a resourceful, key ally in the end.
Rickman as Snape in the Harry Potter films.
“There are no words to express how shocked and devastated I am to hear of Alan Rickman’s death,” author J.K. Rowling wrote on Twitter. “He was a magnificent actor and a wonderful man.”
Alan Rickman was my favourite actor. I loved his quirkyness and devilish sense of humour. My favourite films were Robin Hood Prince of Thieves and Truly Madly Deeply.
My favourite was Sense and Sensibility. “Give me an occupation.”