Alan Rickman fans have marked the fifth anniversary of the legendary actor’s death, sharing sweet videos, photos and memories of the star.
Die Hard actor Rickman tragically died in January 2016, just weeks before his 70th birthday.
In 2015, he had suffered a minor stroke, which led to him being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Over his iconic career, Rickman stunned in wide-ranging roles, from the misunderstood Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the villainous Hans Gruber in Die Hard, to the seraph Metatron in Dogma.
Despite Snape being such a huge role for him, it certainly isn’t the only part he’s remembered for, with his legacy living on.
Die Hard – Hans Gruber
In 1989, Rickman starred as internationally-feared terrorist Hans Gruber in Die Hard, opposite Bruce Willis’s John McClane.
His performance was widely praised, with it being looked back on as his breakout role.
Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves – Sheriff of Nottingham
Rickman then took on the Sheriff of Nottingham role in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves in 1981, giving the role a camp, villainous performance to be remembered.
It’s said he had a big impact on the script, actually re-writing chunks of it with comedian Ruby Wax to make sure he had some good lines.
Sense and Sensibility – Colonel Brandon
In 1995, Rickman appeared in period drama Sense and Sensibility, which began his incredible working relationship with Emma Thompson.
He starred as the warm and honourable Colonel Brandon, proving he could smash an understated performance just as much as his dramatic and humorous ones.
Harry Potter – Severus Snape
Arguably Rickman’s most famous role of them all, he starred as Professor Severus Snape in all eight Harry Potter films, from 2001 to 2011.
He was, notably, the only person JK Rowling told what the word ‘Always’ meant to Snape, as we find out in the later books and films that he was in love with Harry’s mother Lily.
The actor said at the time: ‘[It] helped me think that he was more complicated and that the story was not going to be as straight down the line as everybody thought.
‘If you remember when I did the first film she’d only written three or four books, so nobody knew where it was really going except her. And it was important for her that I know something, but she only gave me a tiny piece of information which helped me think it was a more ambiguous route.’
Love Actually
Love Actually was a slightly more unusual role for the actor, but he still brought a legendary performance to the table, as Thompson’s character’s cheating husband.
The two national treasures produced one of the most heart-wrenching storylines to ever grace a rom-com, resulting in the scene of Thompson’s character holding back her heartbreak over a Joni Mitchell CD.
Dogma – Metatron
1999 comedy Dogma saw Rickman perform in perhaps his most bizarre role of all time, the seraph Metatron.
His hilarious performance has gone down in film history, with the movie, which also starred Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, becoming a cult classic.
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
In 2005, Rickman voiced the Marvin the Paranoid Android in the iconic adaptation of Douglas Adams’ sci-fi series.
Starring alongside Martin Freeman and Zooey Deschanel, the films still have a huge fandom today.
Sweeney Todd (2007) – Judge Turpin
In Tim Burton’s star-studded adaptation of Sweeney Todd, Rickman starred as Judge Turpin opposite the likes of Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sacha Baron Cohen.
It was the first time Rickman was required to sing in a role since his days appearing on stage.
Alice in Wonderland – The Caterpillar
Voicing the character of The Caterpillar, Rickman again worked with the likes of Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter.
The film’s sequel, Alice Through The Looking Glass, ended up being Rickman’s last film, with fans hearing his voice posthumously in the final movie.
Eye in the Sky – Lieutenant General Frank Benson
Another of Rickman’s final films, Eye in the Sky in 2015, saw Rickman perform alongside Helen Mirren, and Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul in an action thriller.
Mirren told Radio Times of his appearance: ‘It was the Alan that I know: the witty, thoughtful Alan rather than the villain that he played so brilliantly.
‘I hope I don’t speak out of place, but I think that if Alan had the choice, he would have been proud of this as his last movie.
‘The subject matter is absolutely where his intelligence was. He was very politically aware, conscientious and thoughtful. I’m sure that’s why he would have chosen it in the first place.’
Of course, Rickman had plenty more roles, and was an accomplished stage actor as well.
He turned his craft to almost any genre and will be remembered by fans, friends, and co-stars alike for years to come.
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