Always. J.K. Rowling shared an emotional story via Twitter in memory of the late Alan Rickman, who played Severus Snape in the Harry Potter movies.
“In Harry Potter & the Cursed Child, Snape makes his first appearance with his back to the audience,” the author, 54, tweeted on Tuesday, April 7, referencing the two-part stage play. “At the dress rehearsal I saw him in his long black wig & my eyes filled with tears because, for a split second, my irrational heart believed when Snape turned round, I’d see Alan.”
In Harry Potter & the Cursed Child, Snape makes his first appearance with his back to the audience. At the dress rehearsal I saw him in his long black wig & my eyes filled with tears because, for a split second, my irrational heart believed when Snape turned round, I’d see Alan. https://t.co/qC3xxmwz3d
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 7, 2020
Rowling’s tribute caught the attention of Rickman’s brother Michael, who took a moment to thank her for giving a eulogy at the actor’s 2016 memorial service.
“I spoke to sir Ian [McKellen] but never got the chance to thank you for speaking at his funeral,” Michael tweeted on Tuesday. “To everyone in the wider world he was a star, to us he was more. Our brother. Our mum would have been so proud of the respect he was held in. Thank you again x.”
Rowling replied to Michael’s message on Wednesday, April 8, writing, “He was such a great person, quite aside from his talent. I can only begin to imagine your loss. It was one of the most moving funerals I’ve ever been to and you could tell how much it meant to everyone there to make it worthy of him. So lovely to hear from you! Hope you’re well x.”
He was such a great person, quite aside from his talent. I can only begin to imagine your loss. It was one of the most moving funerals I’ve ever been to and you could tell how much it meant to everyone there to make it worthy of him. So lovely to hear from you! Hope you’re well x
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 8, 2020
Rickman died in January 2016 after quietly battling terminal pancreatic cancer. He was 69.
“There are no words to express how shocked and devastated I am to hear of Alan Rickman’s death,” Rowling tweeted at the time. “He was a magnificent actor & a wonderful man. My thoughts are with [his wife] Rima and the rest of Alan’s family. We have all lost a great talent. They have lost part of their hearts.”
Daniel Radcliffe, who played the title character in the Harry Potter franchise, remembered the Love Actually star on Facebook as “one of the greatest actors I will ever work with,” adding, “He was one of the first of the adults on Potter to treat me like a peer rather than a child.”
Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley, said he was “devastated” by the news, while Emma Watson, who portrayed Hermione Granger, wrote on Facebook that she felt lucky to have “spent time with such a special man and actor.”
Rickman starred as Professor Snape in all eight Harry Potter movies from 2001 to 2011.
