Alan Rickman- A look back at the talented Actor's career
The Talented Alan Rickman
In early 2016, the entertainment world was saddened by the sudden death of the talented actor and director Alan Rickman. Alan had a successful career that extended almost 40-years — during which time he earned both critical and popular acclaim.
Rickman starred in a diverse range of productions in both the theatre and on film. While being well known for his portrayal of on-screen villains, he was equally adept at performing in comedies and heartfelt dramas. His professional training, received at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, helped him play many different types of characters and deliver unforgettable performances.
From Humble Beginnings To The Stage
Alan was born in London in 1946, to a working class family. His mother was a housewife and his father was a factory worker. At school he excelled in creative activities like calligraphy and painting. He didn’t become involved with acting until he reached high school, when he performed in several plays. Rickman went on to attend the Chelsea College of Art and Design and then the Royal College of Art.
Initially, Alan decided to become a graphic designer, because he believed: “Acting wasn’t there sensible thing to do at 18”. After three years working as a designer, he decided to pursue acting professionally and enrolled in the Royal Shakespeare Company. He later described his change in career: "There was an inevitability about my being an actor since about the age of 7, but there were other roads that had to be travelled first,"
After graduating, he performed in many theatre productions including Chekhov's The Seagull, Snoo Wilson's The Grass Widow, Romeo and Juliet and A View from the Bridge. On stage, at over six-feet tall, Alan Rickman was an imposing figure who immediately commanded attention. When he spoke, his deep and regal voice easily filled the room, which is one of the reasons why he was so successful in the theatre.
His first on-screen appearance was in Romeo & Juliet in 1978. In 1982, he appeared in The Barchester Chronicles (1982), the BBC's adaptation of Trollope's first two Barchester novels.
His breakthrough role came in 1985, when he played Le Vicomte de Valmont in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, a part written specifically for him by playwright Christopher Hampton. It was his visceral portrayal of this villainous character that later helped him land one of most famous roles, in the movie Die Hard.
A Lovely Man Who Played Villains Perfectly
Despite being described as an "extremely kind, generous, self-deprecating and funny," by fellow Harry Potter star, Daniel Radcliffe — many of Rickman’s most memorable roles were as villains.
His first Hollywood film role was as “Hans Gruber” in the movie Die Hard (1988). He played the German criminal perfectly and helped the movie become one of the greatest action movies ever made.
Another famous villain played by Rickman was “Sheriff George of Nottingham” from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991). He uttered one of the most famous lines from that film, saying: “That's it then. Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas.” The line immediately became a classic!
Of course, his most famous character was “Professor Severus Snape” from Harry Potter (2001). Fans of the book series loved his portray of Professor Severus Snape and he became one of those characters that people “love to hate”.
It’s interesting to note that Rickman actually disliked the use of the term villain to describe his characters, suggesting they were more interesting than that: "I don't see any of [my roles] as one word. It doesn't matter what I'm playing: it's not one word, and I think any actor would say the same."
Rickman avoided being type cast in these kinds of roles by performing in a diverse collection of films including Sense and Sensibility (1995), in the title role of Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny (1996) and in Galaxy Quest (1999).
He received many awards over the years including:
- A BAFTA award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role — Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
- A Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television — Rasputin (1996)
- Chicago International Film Festival, Best Film Award for The Winter Guest (1997)
- Evening Standard British Film Awards, Best Actor awards for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), Close My Eyes (1991) and Truly Madly Deeply (1990)
- Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries Rasputin (1996)
Some of his later roles included classic films such as Love Actually (2003), Snow Cake (2006), Nobel Son (2007), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), Bottle Shock (2008) and Alice in Wonderland (2010).
Alan Rickman was one of the most admired British actors in recent decades and his loss was felt by friends and fans across the world. As J.K Rowling put it: “He was a magnificent actor & a wonderful man."
Posted By Jigsaw Performing Arts Croydon>