Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#34). [1995]
Ranked #59 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997]
Lives with politician 'Rima Horton'. [1977 - present]
Although a highly successful film actor, he has frequently passed up film offers to return to the theater. (A place and activity which he calls "magical" and his "first love".)
Nominated for Tony award as Best Actor for Broadway revival of "Private Lives", May 2002.
Was given the role of Professor Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) only after Tim Roth backed out.
He became well-known to the American public with his performance as Hans Gruber in Die Hard (1988).
Studied graphic design before becoming an actor.
Named Best Stage Actor for his part in the acclaimed revival of the Noel Coward play Private Lives at The Variety Club Show business Awards 2002.
Father died when he was 8 years-old
Is the second of four children in his family. He has an older brother, a younger brother and a younger sister.
While filming Die Hard (1988), was found proficient at mimicking American accents; a scene in which Hans Gruber and John McClane finally meet was then added to the script.
Made Vice-Chairman of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in 2003.
When he was a child, he had a speech disability: his lower jaw was very tight, causing his words to be indistinctive and muffled.
Was the original voice of Leonardo Leonardo in the 2000 cartoon based on Kevin Smith's film Clerks. (1994), but was replaced by Alec Baldwin, courtesy of ABC.
He was nominated for a 2002 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actor of 2001 for his performance in Private Lives at the Albery Theatre, London.
He was nominated for a 2001 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor for his performance in Private Lives at the Albery Theatre.
For the shot where Hans Gruber falls from the top of the building in Die Hard (1988), was actually dropped by a stuntman from a 20-foot high model onto an air bag. To get a genuine surprised look, the stunt man dropped him on the count of two instead of three.
In Die Hard (1988) , he is seen firing a gun only once (in the atrium when Gruber realizes Holly is John's wife), due to his uncontrollable habit of flinching when the gun recoiled. In that scene he blinks just before the camera cuts.
Was voted #19 in Empire Magazine's Greatest Living Movie Stars over the age of 50.
Was active in raising funds for the Labour Party.
Shares his birthday with "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2000) star William L. Petersen.
Was twice nominated for Broadway's Tony Award as Best Actor (Play): in 1987 for "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," and in 2002 for a revival of Noel Coward's "Private Lives."
Two of the Harry Potter films (so far) also feature Warwick Davis as Professor Flitwick. In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Rickman and Davis play the same part. Davis wore the robotic suit for Marvin, while Rickman provides the voice.
His portrayal of Hans Gruber in Die Hard earned him a spot on the American Film Institute's list of the "100 Best Heroes/Villains" as the 46th best villain in film history.
Is good friends with Adrienne Clarkson, Canada's current Governor General. Rickman visited Clarkson's Ottawa, Ontario home in May 2005.
Says Canada is like a second home.
Alan Rickman Detailed Biography
Alan Rickman is one of the U. K. 's most respected film, television and theatre actors and famed throughout the world for his performances in films as diverse as: Die Hard (1988) and Truly Madly Deeply (1991) .
He also starred in Mesmer for which he was named Best Actor at the Montreal Film Festival. For Sense & Sensibility and Michael Collins he received BAFTA nominations and for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) he won the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor.
For Truly Madly Deeply (1991), Close My Eyes (1991) and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) he was named Evening Standard Film Actor of the Year.
Other television credits include: Benefactors; Revolutionary Witness; Spirit of Man; Pity in History; Barchester Chronicles; Busted; Therese Raquin and Romeo & Juliet.
As a director, Rickman's work includes Wax Acts with Ruby Wax in the West End and The Winter Guest by Sharman MacDonald at both the West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Almeida Theatre in London. He then went on to direct (and co-write with Macdonald) the feature film version of The Winter Guest starring Emma Thompson.
It was an Official Selection for the Venice Film Festival winning three awards and later won Best Feature at the Chicago Film Festival. Rickman is equally famed for his theatre work.
For the National Theatre Rickman starred in Anthony & Cleopatra and played the title role in Hamlet at Riverside Studios directed by Robert Sturua, the celebrated director of the Rustaveli Theatre in Georgia. Rickman has also appeared three times at the Edinburgh Festival - a double bill of The Devil is an Ass and Measure for Measure which also toured Europe; Brothers Karamazov which then toured the USSR and Yukio Ninagawa's Tango at the end of Winter which later transferred to the West End winning Rickman the Time Out Award for Best Actor.
Rickman is currently due to star in Noel Coward's Private Lives at the Albery Theatre.
