Many people took to social media to mourn the loss of and pay tribute to both men very publically. With seemingly no effort at all, Rickman could shift from conveying Snape’s unsettling severity to conveying his character’s abiding tenderness for Lily.
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His tweet was followed by a TwitLonger post about his long-standing friendship with Alan Rickman, and how Rickman not only helped kick-start his career, but supported and encouraged him every step of the way.
Alan Rickman, the 69-year-old British stage and screen actor, succumbed to cancer early Thursday in London, his family confirmed. He was a magnificent actor & a wonderful man. My thoughts are with Rima and the rest of Alan’s family.
“People think that they’re watching this” he said waving his hand in front of his face, “but really they’re watching this” and he pounded his fist on his heart centre”, she wrote.
Actress Emma Watson has been accused of exploiting the death of Alan Rickman.
The charity Pancreatic Cancer Action has since said: “We were very sad to hear that one of Britain’s most popular actors, Alan Rickman, passed away after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. But an organiser insisted we sit at our assigned seats and I steeled myself for the most awkward dinner conversation of my life!!” And that is why we all loved Alan Rickman, and will continue to do so.
In a Twitter tribute, Watson highlighted Rickman’s pride in identifying as a feminist by sharing a snippet from an interview he once gave: “There is nothing wrong with a man being a feminist, I think it is to our mutual advantage”.
Author JK Rowling has written a tribute to him, as have other cast members from the Harry Potter franchise. Film roles included the psychopathic villain Hans Gruber, who tormented Bruce Willis in Die Hard in 1988; a deceased lover who consoles his bereaved partner in 1990’s Truly Madly Deeply; the wicked sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves in 1991; and a wayward husband in the 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually.
“Alan was my friend and so this is so hard to write because I have just kissed him goodbye”, she began. “His capacity to fell you with a look or lift you with a word”, she added. “He made you feel like you were in a world with him as well”. His world-weary tolerance of those around him stays with me vividly.
Rickman had won a BAFTA Award, an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, among various different honors.
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His family said he had died surrounded by family and friends.
