In the world of cinema, sometimes, certain actors end up being associated with their iconic roles forever. It becomes difficult for the audience to think of someone else for the role, and the same thing happened with the late Alan Rickman.
Harry Potter movies popularized fantasy and magic and made the wizarding world a part of pop culture. Rickman played the role of Professor Severus Snape in the movies, and what separated him from other roles was his mystery, which even led the actor to question the creator, J.K. Rowling, herself.
How J.K. Rowling Convinced Alan Rickman to Play Snape in Harry Potter
Severus Snape was the professor of potions at Hogwarts. Alan Rickman first appeared in the role in 2001 in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and continued to play the character till the last installment, Deathly Hallows: Part 2, which was released in 2011.
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For the first few movies, Snape was considered just an evil character who didn’t like Harry Potter. After he killed Dumbledore in Half-Blood Prince, he was assumed to be a Death Eater who was essentially working for Voldemort to fulfill his quest. However, the reality hit hard when Potter discovered his true intentions behind everything.
This lack of clear narrative and background information could trouble any actor trying to get into the headspace for their role, and it so happened with Rickman. However, in an earlier interview with AOL (via BUILD Series), the late actor revealed how he confessed his issues and how J.K. Rowling helped him.
I said, ‘Look, I do not know how to play this because I can’t..’ and you got to remember there’s only three books at that time. I don’t know how to play it. She did not tell me what was going to happen. I knew book by book like everybody else what the narrative was.
She gave me one small image and I said to her…and it remains true now…I said, ‘Okay I’ll never tell anybody that.’ It doesn’t matter that all the books are out and everybody knows and still won’t. One small image and I thought, ‘Oh okay, well that at least means I have to play sort of two things at once. But I certainly did not know what the ending was.
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The final revelation completely flipped everyone’s feelings towards Snape, especially after the hatred that fans developed for him because of Dumbledore’s murder. His character arc still remains one of the most memorable character arcs in any fantasy drama.
J.K. Rowling’s Revelation to Alan Rickman and Why He Continued to Play Snape
In a recorded interview for her website, J.K. Rowling talked about how her conversation went with Alan Rickman and what she revealed to him at the time to play Snape. She said,
He rang me up and said, ‘Look, I’m spinning plates here. I really need to understand what Snape’s up to? Am I a pure baddie?’ He was the only person I told: ‘You were in love with Harry’s mother.’
I talked him through it: ‘You are a double agent. But you do dislike Harry. You can’t overcome your quite visceral dislike of this boy who looks just like your arch enemy.’ So I told Alan Rickman what was coming, way before it came in the movies.
“Killing Snape was awful,” Rowling further added. Rickman also wrote in his journal about his decision to continue playing Snape stating (via Variety),
Finally, yes to HP 5. The sensation is neither up nor down. The argument that wins is the one that says, ‘See it through. It’s your story.
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Alan Rickman died due to pancreatic cancer on January 14, 2016, at the age of 69. Although the late actor earned acclaim for his other roles in films like Die Hard and Truly, Madly, Deeply, the notoriously brave Professor Snape is one role that will be a highlight in his career, Always!
All of the Harry Potter movies are available to stream on Max.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Alan Rickman initially struggle to play Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films?
In an interview (via AOL/BUILD Series), Rickman recalled telling J.K. Rowling he didn’t know how to play Snape because only three of the books existed at that time. He was learning the narrative book by book like everyone else and didn’t yet know where the character’s arc was heading.
What did J.K. Rowling tell Alan Rickman that changed how he played Snape?
Rowling has said she gave Rickman one key piece of information no one else knew: that Snape had been in love with Harry’s mother, Lily, and was acting as a double agent whose loyalty ran deeper than his open dislike of Harry. Rickman said this single image meant he had to play two things at once, and it guided his performance for the rest of the series.
Which Harry Potter films did Alan Rickman appear in as Snape, and where can they be watched?
Rickman played Professor Severus Snape throughout the film series, first appearing in 2001’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (titled Sorcerer’s Stone in the US) and continuing through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011. The article notes the Harry Potter films are available to stream on Max.
