जीवनी

Despite being author J.K. Rowling's first choice to play Snape in the Harry Potter films (she actually envisioned him when writing the character), he was only given the role in हैरी पॉटर और पारस पत्थर (2001) after Tim Roth (the studio's preferred choice) backed out to star in Planet of the Apes (2001).

Not long after he started to play Severus Snape in हैरी पॉटर और पारस पत्थर (2001), J.K. Rowling told Rickman some character secrets about Snape that would not be otherwise revealed until the last book. Most significantly, for over seven years, Rickman was one of the very few people other than Rowling to know that Snape had been in love with Lily Evans (later Potter) when they were students at Hogwarts, and both Snape's protection of and antagonism toward Harry came from that. Rowling said that she shared this information with Rickman because "he needed to understand, I think, and does completely understand and did completely understand where this bitterness towards this boy, who's living proof of [Lily's] preference for another man, came from." When the directors of the films would ask him why he was playing a scene a certain way, or delivering a line in a particular manner, Rickman would simply reply that he knew something they did not.

For his death plunge down the side of the skyscraper in Die Hard (1988), he actually dropped 20 feet onto an airbag against a green screen. Director John McTiernan had to jump first to convince Rickman to do the jump.

For रॉबिन हुडः प्रिंस ऑफ़ थीव्स (1991), he turned down the role of the Sheriff of Nottingham twice before he was told he could more or less have carte-blanche with his interpretation of the character.

His portrayal of Hans Gruber in Die Hard (1988) earned him a spot on the American Film Institute's list of the "100 Best Heroes/Villains" as the 46th best villain in film history.

I do take my work seriously and the way to do that is not to take yourself too seriously.

[on longtime partner Rima Horton] I think every relationship should be allowed to have its own rules. She's tolerant. She's incredibly tolerant. Unbelievably tolerant. Possibly a candidate for sainthood.

Actors are agents of change. A film, a piece of theater, a piece of music, or a book can make a difference. It can change the world.

I do feel more myself in America. I can regress there, and they have roller-coaster parks.

[on not being a father] I love to travel and I don't have children, so there is a certain freedom.