Tributes flow for actor Alan Rickman who passed away from cancer.

Alan Rickman, known to many for his role as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter series, has passed away from cancer.

“The actor and director Alan Rickman has died from cancer at the age of 69. He was surrounded by family and friends,” a statement from the family said.

Fellow actors have penned some beautiful tributes for their beloved co-star.

Emma Thompson, who appeared with Alan Rickman in Love Actually, Sense and Sensibility and the Harry Potter films, said in a statement that saying goodbye to 69-year-old Rickman was “painful.”

“Alan was my friend and so this is hard to write because I have just kissed him goodbye,” Thompson wrote. “What I remember most in this moment of painful leave-taking is his humour, intelligence, wisdom and kindness. The intransigence which made him the great artist he was – his ineffable and cynical wit, the clarity with which he saw most things, including me, and the fact that he never spared me the view.”

Daniel Radcliffe, who starred alongside him on Harry Potter, has wrote a lengthy piece on his Google+ page in memory of Rickman.

“Alan Rickman is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors I will ever work with. He is also, one of the loyalest and most supportive people I’ve ever met in the film industry. He was so encouraging of me both on set and in the years post-Potter. I’m pretty sure he came and saw everything I ever did on stage both in London and New York. He didn’t have to do that. I know other people who’ve been friends with him for much much longer than I have and they all say, “If you call Alan, it doesn’t matter where in the world he is or how busy he is with what he’s doing, he’ll get back to you within a day”.

People create perceptions of actors based on the parts they played so it might surprise some people to learn that contrary to some of the sterner (or downright scary) characters he played, Alan was extremely kind, generous, self-deprecating and funny. And certain things obviously became even funnier when delivered in his unmistakable double-bass.

As an actor he was one of the first of the adults on Potter to treat me like a peer rather than a child. Working with him at such a formative age was incredibly important and I will carry the lessons he taught me for the rest of my life and career. Film sets and theatre stages are all far poorer for the loss of this great actor and man.”

There are no words to express how shocked and devastated I am to hear of Alan Rickman’s death. He was a magnificent actor & a wonderful man.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 14, 2016

 

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