The news of Alan Rickman’s unexpected passing has us, along with fans around the world, mourning his loss. But it can feel nice at times like this to think about the gifts we were given by those who have gone.
Let’s revisit these five Alan Rickman movie moments that make us smile…
Die Hard
Rickman’s portrayal of Die Hard villain Hans Gruber set him on the path to stardom, and rightly so. He truly could play an evil bastard like no other. There are lots of great Gruber moments in the movie — the Alexander speech, the part where he counts to three, and his classic final fall. But Rickman’s swagger in this elevator scene makes us smile most.
Love Actually
In Love Actually, Rickman plays a married middle-aged businessman tempted to cheat on his wife (Emma Thompson) by his young, attractive assistant. On a shopping outing, Rickman’s character tries to quickly buy the girl a Christmas gift while his wife has stepped away. He becomes incredibly exasperated as the clerk (Rowan Atkinson) takes extreme care to exquisitely packaging the present. It’s delightful.
Truly, Madly, Deeply
Rickman’s turn in Anthony Minghella’s Truly, Madly, Deeply (1991) is such a pleasure to watch. He plays a cellist who returns from the afterlife to comfort a grieving London pianist. The film features one of the most special moments of Rickman’s acting career — and it’s even moreso in light of his passing — in which he sings “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore)” with costar Juliet Stevenson.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Rickman’s performance as the cruel Sheriff of Nottingham, in 1991’s Kevin Costner vehicle Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, won him a BAFTA for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and locked down his status as the go-to actor for British baddies. He plays the over-the-top Sheriff with a brilliant mingling of malevolent aggression and comedic flair.
Harry Potter
It’s incredibly hard to pick a favorite Severus Snape moment from Rickman’s iconic performances in the Harry Potter films, so we’re going with ALL OF THEM. Given his immense talent, Rickman could’ve totally phoned in the part and it would’ve been just fine. Instead, he through himself completely into the role and gave us one of the greatest villain-turned-hero characters ever depicted on screen.
