Rickman sold ‘nicked’ letter from Harry Potter for £17k
ALAN RICKMAN stole props from the Harry Potter set and sold one for more than £17,000, a former co-star has revealed.
Zoë Wanamaker, who appeared in the first film as broom flying instructor Madam Hooch, said that she and her fellow actor took the letters that the owl brings to Harry.
The 72-year-old revealed that Rickman, who played Professor Severus Snape and died in 2016 aged 69, later sold one of these letters for $25,000 (£17,700).
Speaking on the podcast Tea with Twiggy, Wanamaker said: “Rickman and I started to nick some of [the letters]. Rickman sold one in LA for something like $25,000 – it was brilliant.”
The actor spoke about the levels of detail on the props on the first set and recalled song sheets on parchment lined with gold.
Wanamaker, who is also known for her theatre work, added she does not have many of the letters left. But said that she still has some T-shirts and a stuntman hat from her time on the film.
The actor described her time on Harry Potter as “hysterical” as she knew most of the cast. She recalled a time when she was with Dame Maggie Smith, Rickman and the late Richard Harris who played Dumbledore.
The actors were waiting to start filming as they were changing the kids over for a scene in the Great Hall. She said: “At about 4 or 5 o’clock there was a knock at the door and they tell us it is a wrap.
“Richard Harris opened his eyes saying ‘what?!’ and I started to laugh.
“He said: ‘What are you laughing at?’ and I said: ‘Look we have had a lovely day and we are getting paid, what are you worried about?’”