Incredibly sad news for cinema and theatre fans everywhere: Alan Rickman, the iconic and legendary British actor, has sadly died at the age of 69.
Known for nearly four decades in cinema and on the stage, Rickman was a titan of acting, starring in iconic roles such as Hans Gruber in Die Hard and in the romantic British comedy, Love Actually. However, it is his performance as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films between 2001 and 2011 that gained him legions of fans everywhere and cemented his legacy in pop culture forever.
His most recent film, A Little Chaos, which he both directed and starred in, was released last year. His next two films — the spy thriller Eye in the Sky and his reprisal of his role as Absolem the Caterpillar in Alice Through the Looking Glass — are due out later this year. Both will be released posthumously.
Rickman, who was never nominated for an Academy Award, won an Emmy Award and Golden Globe for his performance as Grigori Rasputin in the miniseries Rasputin. His iconic voice and intimidating screen presence made him a highly demanded actor for villains and sinister characters, all of which Rickman played beautifully and established his status as a cinematic icon and one of Britain’s finest character actors.
Rickman’s family confirmed his death today, citing that he had been suffering from cancer. His legacy as an actor will live long in the hearts of the young and the old, from theatre aficionados to film-lovers everywhere, from those who remember his performances in Shakespearean drama to those that look fondly on his brilliant performance as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films. Rickman leaves behind a shockingly powerful legacy, and he will not be forgotten.
