Alan Rickman’s iconic movies: eight beloved roles from one of Britain’s best actors

The legendary British actor has passed away aged 69 from cancer
Ben Travis14 January 2016

Beloved British actor Alan Rickman has passed away aged 69 – but he leaves behind an astonishing legacy of iconic performances.

From the Harry Potter saga to the original classic Die Hard, Rickman’s talent and instantly recognisable booming voice made him a formidable screen presence.

Here are some of his finest roles over the years.

1) Hans Gruber – Die Hard (1988)

Warning: clip contains strong violence

One of the all-time great screen villains, Hans Gruber is as much an integral part of Die Hard’s appeal as Bruce Willis’ hero John McClane. Fiercely intelligent and calculating, Rickman imbued the part with genuine menace and sophistication – a perfect counterpoint to Willis’ wisecracks.

2) The Sheriff of Nottingham – Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)

From one brilliant villain to another, Rickman played The Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. In keeping with the film, his take on the role combined knowing camp scenery-chewing with humanity and devilish wit, winning him the Best Supporting Actor award at the BAFTAs.

3) Colonel Brandon – Sense and Sensibility (1995)

From villainy to romance, Rickman starred as Colonel Brandon in Ang Lee’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility – a role which showed a much more warm and subtle side to the actor. The scene of him reading a passage from Edmund Spencer’s The Faerie Queene to Kate Winslet’s Marianne is a stand-out moment.

Alan Rickman - in pictures

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4) Metatron – Dogma (1999)

Warning: clip contains strong language

How’s this for perfect casting – in Kevin Smith’s religion-based comedy Dogma, Rickman played the angel Metatron, the voice of God. Broad comedy was another string to the actor’s considerable bow.

5) Alexander Dane – Galaxy Quest (1999)

In uncanny timing, Rickman played Galaxy Quest’s Alexander Dane, an actor weighed down by a fan-favourite role, just before he took on the part of Snape in the Harry Potter franchise. “I played Richard III,” Dane laments before heading out to meet the baying Comic Con crowd.

6) Professor Snape – Harry Potter (2001 – 2011)

Hans Gruber aside, this is the role that Rickman will be most remembered for. Capturing one of the most complex characters from JK Rowling’s novels, Rickman’s performance brought Professor Snape to vivid life – the bullying, the heartbreak, the loss, and the sacrifice. He’s undoubtedly one of the very best things in the film series.

7) Harry - Love Actually (2003)

Harry is far from the most likeable character in Richard Curtis’ seasonal guilty pleasure – a man carrying out an affair – but it gave us another chance to see him onscreen with Emma Thompson once again.

8) Judge Turpin – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Rickman proved his singing talent in Tim Burton’s film of Steven Sondheim’s musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Playing the nefarious Judge Turpin, he expertly works his way around Sondheim’s tongue-twisting lyrics and unconventional metre.

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