‘He pointed at my wife and laughed’
One of the highlights of my late wife’s life involved Alan Rickman. Returning to university in Manchester in the mid-90s for a new term, she was attempting to put on an enormous rucksack full of books (she did English). As she managed to get the thing on, she experienced an error in balance, fell backwards and laid on the platform, wiggling her arms and legs like an inverted tortoise, unable to move.
Along came Alan Rickman, clearly intending to board the same train. He stopped, pointed at her and laughed before striding off up the platform. She never felt it was unkind, more that she was playing a role in some impromptu station art performance. TerryHFS
‘One of the all-time greatest and nastiest screen villains’
He was one of the all-time greatest and nastiest screen villains in Die Hard, completely opposite of course to the real Alan Rickman off-screen, with perhaps the most extraordinary – and most deserved – death scene for any villain.
At a tribute event some years later for Bruce Willis, Rickman turned up with a bandaged head, and crutches or similar to mockingly show his character had somehow survived (he must have landed on a cushion or something), summing up his good-natured sense of humour. He is still much missed. JFBridge
‘Extraordinary death scene’ … as Hans Gruber in Die Hard. Photograph: AJ Pics/Alamy‘He mastered silences on screen’
One of the qualities I always felt Alan Rickman had was that whatever role he was playing, you could almost hear what his characters were thinking beyond the lines they were saying. He had mastered silences and stares on screen. gavernism
‘A wonderful human’
What a strange irony that such a wonderful human will be primarily remembered as a movie baddie, but I can’t think of another actor who relished those roles as much as he did. Most film stars want to be liked way too much to play them with the conviction Alan brought. He didn’t need our adoration – he clearly had enough of that from his friends. Keef08
Rickman with Lesley Manville in Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the Royal Shakespeare Company, 1985. Photograph: Donald Cooper/Alamy‘Incredibly knowledgable’
I met him once. Not a humble brag. But it was an astonishing encounter with a wonderfully engaging man. I was a lowly arts council officer (as we were called then – this is 2003, I think). I was invited to an aftershow party at the Barbican after a Richard Maxwell play (I think it might have been Drummer Wanted). It wasn’t a starry do – just a few dozen theatre nerds excited to have witnessed another brilliant experiment in theatre.
I remember standing on my own with a glass of wine when Alan Rickman introduced himself and asked what I thought of the play. For the next half an hour we chatted about our shared love of experimental theatre practices – Forced Entertainment, the Wooster Group, Lone Twin etc.
He was passionate about all of it, incredibly knowledgable, eager to hear my thoughts, happy to learn, unhurried. It was just 30 minutes but I still remember it distinctly 25 years later. And that voice … theatredavid
‘Keep the sssssstichesssss sssssmall!’
I liked Alan Rickman ever since I saw him as the preposterous Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood. My sister and I (both young teenagers then) mimicked his lines in that film for ages (“and keep the sssssstichesssss sssssmall!”). Later I saw him in a few other things and always found him beautiful: a graceful man with a kind of sadness and intelligence in his expression. It’s wonderful to read how much he was loved by those who knew him personally. kastachicory
‘A graceful man’ … as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Photograph: Warner Bros./Allstar‘Hard to believe Hans Gruber was his very first movie role’
It’s still very hard to believe Hans Gruber was his very first movie role. Yes he had years of theatre experience but acting in a hoped-for blockbuster is very different. The elan with which he essays a role that is at times three roles at the same time – German thief pretending to be German terrorist pretending to be an American businessman – is impressive enough, but it’s the little details like the hyper-accurate way he makes a tiny grammatical mistake when explaining about watching his father make models. ChrisMRogers
‘A true gent’
I had the pleasure of working with Alan Rickman when he directed The Winter Guest at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. I was only a lowly assistant stage manager so there was no reason for him to get to know me, but he did and it was appreciated. After the show opened he came back just before it finished to see everyone and he found me setting up the show. “Hello Simon, how are you?” he said. My name is not Simon but ASMs are used to being forgotten so I didn’t correct him. He left me and then did one of the best double take re-entrances not captured on camera – “JON! Oh my God, I am so sorry!! I called you Simon!!” He was truly mortified! A month later – long after the show had moved to London – my first child arrived, followed swiftly by a bottle of champagne and a card from Alan. He’d asked the company manager to let him know when the baby came. He was a true gent and a pleasure to know, even for a short while. Melhenney