Alan Rickman, a legendary presence in the acting community for more than three decades, has passed away at 69. Rickman's family confirmed the news on Thursday, the Guardian reports, adding that he had recently been suffering from cancer.
Though most known for his iconic roles in the Die Hard and Harry Potter franchises in the States, in addition to his turn in Richard Curtis' Love Actually, the actor's illustrious filmography also includes memorable appearances in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Sense and Sensibility, Dogma, Sweeney Todd, and Alice in Wonderland. Rickman was also highly regarded for his stage and television work.
"I don't think anybody ever feels particularly settled if you choose to be an actor or a director because you're always having to look in the mirror," Rickman said in an interview with Oregon Live last year, discussing a film he both directed and starred in, A Little Chaos. "All the stuff you've done was 'then,' and now you've got to think 'now what?' You've got to keep moving forward."
"There are no words to express how shocked and devastated I am to hear of Alan Rickman's death," Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowlingtweeted after hearing the news. "He was a magnificent actor [and] a wonderful man. My thoughts are with Rima and the rest of Alan's family. We have all lost a great talent. They have lost part of their hearts."
Rest in power, Alan.
