Harry Potter… and the secret frustrations of Severus Snape
HE was the actor who made Severus Snape one of the most watchable characters in the Harry Potter films.
But behind the scenes, Alan Rickman grew ‘frustrated’ with his role and was racked by doubts over the blockbuster films. The actor, who died in 2016, reveals his misgivings in his archive, which covers more than 40 years.
The collection, with a price tag of £950,000 (€1.1m), includes a 2002 note from producer David Heyman: ‘I know, at times, you are frustrated, but please know you are an integral part of the films. And you are brilliant.’ And in 2009, Rickman wrote: ‘It’s as if [narrative and character development] are not important in the scheme of things ie teen audience appeal.’