The British actor Alan Rickman died at the age of 69 years in London. British newspaper “The Guardian” and the BBC citing Rickman’s family made the first report less than an hour ago. According to the report, Rickman had been suffering from cancer.
Rickman was one of the most distinguished British actors of his generation. He played in numerous theatrical and television films. Among his best known roles included the Professor Severus Snape in the “Harry Potter” movies not to mention Sheriff of Nottingham in ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’, Jamie in ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply’, Colonel Brandon in Ang Lee’s film ‘Sense and Sensibility’ back in 1995, Harry in ‘Love Actually’ (Admit it, you know that scene), and P. L. O’Hara in ‘An Awfully Big Adventure’. More recently, he played the character Judge Turpin in the film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s musical known as ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’. In 1995, he won the Golden Globe, Emmy Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for his portrayal of Rasputin in ‘Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny’.
He had first gained notoriety in 1988 as an antagonist of Bruce Willis’ character in ‘Die Hard’. His last major film role was in the movie “The Butler”, released back in 2013 playing Ronald Reagan. Rickman also worked as a director, beginning to get notice in 1997 when Rickman was first director in the film “The Winter Guest” with Emma Thompson in the title role. Rickman won a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, an Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
On a personal note, one role that he played which will always stick with me is the Metatron in Kevin Smith’s 1999 cult classic ‘Dogma’.
If you haven’t seen it, get it for this weekend… here’s a taste:

Top Image: Didier Olivré, Corbis