When Warner Bros adapted J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels into an iconic film series in 2001, few could have predicted the profound impact it would leave behind on its audience and the cast members. But despite the success and popularity of the franchise, one actor wasn’t initially impressed with the films.
Being one of the most cherished characters in the Harry Potter films, Severus Snape, portrayed by Alan Rickman with impeccable depth, apparently wanted to quit the franchise due to lack of character development. However, a secret shared between him and J.K. Rowling eventually played a crucial role in his decision to stay with the series beyond Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Alan Rickman Attempted to Leave the Harry Potter Films
Even after decades since the release of the last Harry Potter film in 2011, the franchise holds a frighteningly loyal fanbase, who still talk about the legends of Hogwarts and the Wizarding World at large. However, despite the popularity of the films, not everyone associated with the project enjoyed being a part of the franchise.
Take, for example, Alan Rickman who played the iconic character of Severus Snape, revealed through his posthumously published diary entry, about how poorly he felt filming the movies. According to a few excerpts shared by SlashFilm, Rickman was concerned about being typecast as a villain, especially after his role in Die Hard.
But more than anything, Alan Rickman was deeply dissatisfied with his character’s lack of development after two films. Despite his experience in the industry and knowledge about how characters develop rather slowly through franchises, Rickman was worried about Snape’s role and thus attempted to quit the films after Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Talking to [agent] Paul Lyon-Maris about HP exit, which he thinks will happen. But here we are in the project-collision area again. Reiterating no more HP. They don’t want to hear it.
Thankfully, things changed and despite being miserable through a few of the films, given his concerns regarding his character and battle with prostate cancer since 2005, Alan Rickman stayed back. Later in his diary, the actor mentioned how J.K. Rowling had a crucial role to play in his decision.
Snape dies heroically, Potter describes him to his children as one of the bravest men he ever knew and calls his son Albus Severus. This was a genuine rite of passage. One small piece of information from Jo Rowling seven years ago – Snape loved Lily [Potter] – gave me a cliff edge to hang on to.
Despite being initially disillusioned with the limited scope of Snape’s role and feeling that the character had little development, what exactly changed after his conversation with J.K. Rowling? What ‘piece of information’ did the author reveal to Alan Rickman that changed his mind?
J.K. Rowling’s Hidden Insight Altered Alan Rickman’s Quitting Plan
Well, the turning point for Alan Rickman came after a conversation with J.K. Rowling, wherein the author revealed a crucial piece of information about Snape’s future, a secret she had kept closely guarded. Years after Rickman’s demise, Rowling revealed her conversation via X, when she mentioned disclosing the meaning behind the phrase ‘Always’ to Rickman.
The deeper meaning behind ‘Always’ centered around Snape’s ultimate fate and the depth of his character’s motivations, which J.K. Rowling revealed in the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. But since Rickman hadn’t read the novels, he was unaware of his character’s arc, leading him to worry about his role in the franchise.
Therefore, after J.K. Rowling shared the insight with Alan Rickman, it had a profound effect on him, that helped the actor understand the unresolved arc of his character and figure out that his role was far more than a mere antagonist. The knowledge of Snape’s true motivations and the emotional depth that was revealed in the final books gave Rickman a new perspective on his role and reignited his passion for the character.
Hence, Alan Rickman’s renewed commitment allowed him to change his mind and stay back for the rest of the Harry Potter films. Rickman’s altered decision allowed him to bring the powerful aspect of Snape’s character to life, which resonated deeply with audiences and became a widely praised part of the franchise as well as the actor’s storied career.
Harry Potter movies are available on Max.
