This year Hollywood lost one of its greats. Alan Rickman, a man known across several generations and genres. It is a general consensus throughout the world that he was one of the best the acting community had to offer. From Sweeney Todd (2007), to Galaxy Quest (1999), to Harry Potter (2001), Rickman is best known for his distinct voice, and acting variety, as well as for his many villains.

Rickman died in London, England of pancreatic cancer on January 14, 2016. Immediately, the news of his death was spread across social media, and the responses were nothing short of beautiful, especially from the fans of his arguably most famous role, Professor Snape from the Harry Potter franchise. Immediately, the internet was flooded with the mourning image of wands raising in the air, a clip from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, with the caption “We raise our wands to you, Alan Rickman”. There were, of course, many despaired words all over the media for the beloved actor, each just as wonderfully kind as the last.

Despite his start in theater, and his move to film at a relatively old age (42), Rickman became famous in all generations. His first big screen role immediately launched him into fame. He played the villain, Hans Gruber, opposite Bruce Willis in the original Die Hard (1988) movie. Rickman’s portrayal of the cunning Gruber inspired all villains to come, and earned the character 46th place in the American Film Institute’s list of film’s all time 100 best heroes/villains. While Hans Gruber may have made Rickman famous, it was his role as Professor Severus Snape that enamoured him to all generations. Rickman was so perfectly suited for the complex role that he was JK Rowling’s first choice for the part. Rickman used his (unmistakable/profound) voice and superior acting skills to bring to life the enigmatic potions professor in a way that will be remembered for generations to come.

Despite his success in film, Rickman’s true love was of theater, and he often turned down film roles to return to plays. He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and performed in such plays as Romeo and Juliet, and Les Liaisons Dangereuses for which he received a Tony and Drama Desk award nomination.

Rickman was a talented and much loved actor who cemented his place in film and theater history with his brilliant and moving performances. He will never be forgotten and will always have a place in our hearts.

We will remember you Alan Rickman, always.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000614/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Rickman