Five years ago, one of the brightest stars in the film firmament left us: Alan Rickman. But who was this extraordinary actor ? Let’s find out it together. Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman was born in London in February 21st 1946   from a working class family. He approached the world of acting at the Latymer Upper School in London, which he managed to attend on a scholarship thanks to his talent for painting and writing. In 1965 he happily married the political activist Rima Horto, but he never had children. After graduating from RADA, he performed in the most important English theater companies. He made his debut in the world of cinema in 1988 with the role of Hans Gruber in the film “Crystal Trap”. What made him appreciated by the public for his skill in playing the role of antagonist, was his performance in 1991’s Robin Hood,.There he took on the role of the evil Sheriff George of Nottingham. In 1995, his success was such that he refused the role of Alan Trevelyan in the James Bond film without thinking twice. But another source of pride came to him the following year, when he won an Emmy Award for his extraordinary performance of Rasputin. From 2001 to 2011 he wore the long black toga of Severus Snape, the half-blood prince of the Harry Potter saga. Thanks to his impeccable acting he made this character one of the many icons of cinema, remaining the role for which he is most appreciated and known by young people. Unfortunately, in 2015, the actor discovered  a pancreatic cancer which led him  to  death.  It is my duty to say that the ones I mentioned are just some of the actor’s successful films, because a simple article would not be enough to list them all. However, he bequeathed to this world the last two masterpieces of his career and his life: “the right to kill”  and “Alice through the looking glass”. Loved by the public, admired by his peers, critically acclaimed, and crowned best British actor ever, Alan Rickman was a master in his field. In addition to his charm and his art, the most important merit was certainly making people dream. Not everyone conveys emotions from a screen, not everyone manages to make the audience love a villain… but in the end we know that not everyone is Alan Rickman. Thanks to his inexpressible talent and his elegance ,he made each of his performances unique and unforgettable, making people appreciate him more than the protagonists of the films. And even if the bright light of his talent is gone away too soon, it will always remain in our hearts.

-Chiara Cinquegrana III A Cl