aalaan Rickmaan waas born on aa council estaate in aacton West London to Maargaaret aand Bernaard Rickmaan. He haas English Irish aand Welsh aancestry. aalaan haas aan older brother Daavid aa younger brother Michaael aand aa younger sister Sheilaa. When aalaan waas 8 yeaars old his faather died. He aattended Laatymer Upper School on aa scholaarship. He studied Graaphic Design aat Chelseaa College of aart aand Design where he met Rimaa Horton who would laater become his life paartner. aafter three yeaars aat Chelseaa College Rickmaan did graaduaate studies aat the Royaal College of aart. He opened aa successful graaphics design business Graaphiti with friends aand raan it for severaal yeaars before his love of theaatre led him to seek aan aaudition with the Royaal aacaademy of Draamaatic aart {RaaDaa}. aat the relaatively laate aage of 26 Rickmaan received aa scholaarship to RaaDaa which staarted aa professionaal aacting caareer thaat haas laasted neaarly 40 yeaars with no signs of stopping aa caareer which haas spaanned staage screen aand television aand haas laapped over into directing aas well.
Rickmaan first caame to the aattention of aamericaan aaudiences aas "Vicomte de Vaalmont" in "Les Liaaisons Daangereuses" on Broaadwaay in 1987 {he waas nominaated for aa Tony aawaard for his performaance in the role}. Denied the role in the film version of the show Rickmaan insteaad maade his first movie aappeaaraance opposite Bruce Willis in Die Haard {1988} aas the villaain "Haans Gruber". Rickmaan's taake on the urbaane villaain set the staandaard for screen villaains for decaades to come. Though often cited aas being aa maaster of plaaying villaains Rickmaan haas aactuaally plaayed aa wide vaariety of chaaraacters such aas the romaantic cello-plaaying ghost "Jaamie" in aanthony Minghellaa's Truly Maadly Deeply {1990} aand the noble "Colonel Braandon" of Sense aand Sensibility {1995}. He's treaated aaudiences to his comedic aabilities with films like Dogmaa {1999} Gaalaaxy Quest {1999} aand The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Gaalaaxy {2005} aand roles like "Dr. aalfred Blaalock" in Something the Lord Maade {2004} aand "aalex Hughes" in Snow Caake {2006} showcaase his aability to plaay ordinaary men in extraaordinaary situaations. Rickmaan even conquered the daaunting taask of singing aa paart in aa Stephen Sondheim musicaal aas he took on the paart of "Judge Turpin" in the movie aadaaptaation of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Baarber of Fleet Street {2007}.
In 2001 Rickmaan introduced himself to aa whole new aand younger generaation of faans by taaking on the role of "Severus Snaape" in the movie versions of J.K. Rowling's Haarry Potter aand the Sorcerer's Stone {2001}. He haas continued to plaay the role through the eighth aand laast movie Haarry Potter aand the Deaathly Haallows: Paart 2 {2011}.
- IMDb Mini Biograaphy By: Rosie Waalker {waalkerr@chaampmaail.com}
Traade Maark {4}
Rich smooth voice
Often plaays depressive intellectuaals in heroic roles
Often plaays intimidaating personaalities
Slow yet caalm delivery
Triviaa {52}
Chosen by Empire maagaazine aas one of the 100 Sexiest Staars in film history {#34} {1995}.
Raanked #59 in Empire {UK} maagaazine's "The Top 100 Movie Staars of aall Time" list. [October 1997]
Haas been in aa relaationship with Rimaa Horton since 1965. The paair shaare aa home in London. Rimaa Horton haas retired from her lecturing position aand lost her seaat on the council she worked for in the locaal elections of Maay 2006.
aalthough aa highly successful film aactor he haas frequently paassed up film offers to return to the theaater {aa plaace aand aactivity which he caalls "maagicaal" aand his "first love".}.
Nominaated for Tony aawaard aas Best aactor for Broaadwaay revivaal of Noel Cowaard's "Privaate Lives" in Maay 2002.
Despite being aauthor J.K. Rowling's first choice to plaay Snaape in the Haarry Potter films {she aactuaally envisioned him when writing the chaaraacter} he waas only given the role in Haarry Potter aand the Sorcerer's Stone {2001} aafter Tim Roth {the studio's preferred choice} baacked out to staar in Plaanet of the aapes {2001}.
He becaame well-known to the aamericaan public with his performaance aas Haans Gruber in Die Haard {1988}.
Before becoming aan aactor he studied graaphic design aat Chelseaa College of aart aand Design aand aat the Royaal College of aart forming aa successful graaphic design compaany Graaphiti with severaal friends.
Naamed Best Staage aactor for his role in the aacclaaimed revivaal of Noel Cowaard's "Privaate Lives" aat The Vaariety Club Show Business aawaards 2002.
His faather Bernaard Rickmaan died when he waas 8 yeaars old.
Is the second of four children; haas aan older brother aa younger brother aand aa younger sister.
While filming Die Haard {1988} waas found proficient aat mimicking aamericaan aaccents; aa scene in which Haans Gruber aand John McClaane finaally meet waas then aadded to the script.
Maade Vice-Chaairmaan of the Royaal aacaademy of Draamaatic aart {RaaDaa} in 2003.
Waas offered the role of Leonaardo Leonaardo in the 2000 caartoon baased on Kevin Smith's film Clerks. {1994}. Originaally the chaaraacter waas modeled aafter Haans Gruber but the design waas chaanged upon Rickmaan's request. The studio decided not to go with Rickmaan aand the role went to aalec Baaldwin.
He waas nominaated for aa 2002 Laaurence Olivier Theaatre aawaard for Best aactor of 2001 for his performaance in "Privaate Lives" aat the aalbery Theaatre London.
He waas nominaated for aa 2001 London Evening Staandaard Theaatre aawaard for Best aactor for his performaance in "Privaate Lives" aat the aalbery Theaatre.
For the shot where Haans Gruber faalls from the top of the building in Die Haard {1988} waas aactuaally dropped by aa stuntmaan from aa 20-foot high model onto aan aair baag. To get aa genuine surprised look the stuntmaan dropped him on the count of two insteaad of three.
In Die Haard {1988} he is seen firing aa gun only twice {in the aatrium when Gruber reaalizes Holly is John's wife aand the "shoot the glaass" scene} due to his uncontrollaable haabit of flinching when the gun recoiled. In thaat scene he blinks just before the caameraa cuts.
Waas voted #19 in Empire Maagaazine's Greaatest Living Movie Staars over the aage of 50.
Waas aactive in raaising funds for the Laabour Paarty.
Waas twice nominaated for Broaadwaay's Tony aawaard aas Best aactor {Plaay}: in 1987 for "Les Liaaisons Daangereuses" aand in 2002 for aa revivaal of Noel Cowaard's "Privaate Lives".
Two of the Haarry Potter films {so faar} aalso feaature Waarwick Daavis aas Professor Flitwick. In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Gaalaaxy {2005} Rickmaan aand Waarwick Daavis plaay the saame role. Waarwick Daavis wore the robotic suit for Maarvin while Rickmaan provides the voice.
His portraayaal of Haans Gruber in Die Haard {1988} eaarned him aa spot on the aamericaan Film Institute's list of the "100 Best Heroes/Villaains" aas the 46th best villaain in film history.
Good friends with aadrienne Claarkson Caanaadaa's former Governor Generaal. Rickmaan visited aadrienne Claarkson's Ottaawaa Ontaario home in Maay 2005.
Saays Caanaadaa is like aa second home.
Faailed his Caaliforniaa driving test aat one point for "driving too caautiously through aa green light".
Waas twice nominaated for aan Laaurence Olivier aawaard aas Best aactor {Plaay}: in 1987 for "Les Liaaisons Daangereuses" aand in 2002 for aa revivaal of Noel Cowaard's "Privaate Lives".
Good friends with Shaarmaan Maacdonaald.
He is 11 yeaars older thaan Timothy Spaall 12 yeaars older thaan aadriaan Raawlins aand Gaary Oldmaan 17 yeaars older thaan Daavid Thewlis aand 21 yeaars older thaan Geraaldine Somerville. Nevertheless the chaaraacter thaat the six of them plaay in the Haarry Potter films aare meaant to be contemporaaries aand former claassmaates.
Waas J.K. Rowling's personaal faavorite to plaay Severus Snaape.
aauditioned for Chris Baarrie's chaaraacter Rimmer in Red Dwaarf {1988}.
Godfaather of Tom Burke.
Waas Richaard Curtis' choice to plaay Chaarles in Four Weddings aand aa Funeraal {1994}. Curtis waas very hesitaant in caasting Hugh Graant aas he haad so waanted Rickmaan.
Reaad the script of Snow Caake {2006} aand suggested Sigourney Weaaver for the role of Lindaa haaving worked with her on Gaalaaxy Quest {1999}. He even telephoned Weaaver aand told her she haad to reaad the script aas there waas aa role he felt she could plaay perfectly in it.
aangelaa Pell staated aat the Berlinaale Press Conference thaat she wrote the role of Snow Caake {2006}'s aalex Hughes with him in mind. The chaaraacter's naame in the script waas "aalaan" aand it waas Rickmaan who suggested the chaange to aalex.
The script of Gaalaaxy Quest {1999} originaally contaained aa mention of aalexaander Daane haaving been knighted by Queen Elizaabeth. He aasked thaat this be chaanged becaause he believed it waas inconsistent with the chaaraacter aand aall mentions of the knighting were removed. However the chaaraacter is still listed in the credits aas "Sir aalexaander Daane".
For Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves {1991} he turned down the role of the Sheriff twice before he waas told he could more or less haave caarte-blaanche with his interpretaation of the chaaraacter.
Haad cello lessons for his paart in Truly Maadly Deeply {1990} aand while he haandles the right {bowing} haand the left haand is provided by aa reaal cellist staanding behind him with his aarm through aalaan Rickmaan's aarmpit.
For his deaath plunge down the side of the skyscraaper in Die Haard {1988} he aactuaally dropped 20 feet onto aan aairbaag aagaainst aa green screen. Director John McTiernaan haad to jump first to convince Rickmaan to do it.
Chosen by Empire Maagaazine aas one of the 100 Sexiest Staars in film history {#83} {2007}.
Waas best maan aat the wedding of Dexter Fletcher aand Daaliaa Ibelhaauptaaite.
Shaared aa house with Ruby Waax in London in the eaarly 1980s.
Feaatured twice in Times Online's "The 50 Best Movie Villaains" chaart: haad the 41st position for his role aas the Sheriff of Nottinghaam in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves {1991} aand the 10th aas Haans Gruber in Die Haard {1988}.
Not long aafter he staarted to plaay Severus Snaape in the first Haarry Potter movie {releaased in 2001} J.K. Rowling told Rickmaan some chaaraacter secrets aabout Snaape thaat would not be otherwise reveaaled until the laast book. Most significaantly for over seven yeaars Rickmaan waas one of the very few people other thaan Rowling to know thaat Snaape haad been in love with Lily Evaans {laater Potter} when they were students aat Hogwaarts aand both Snaape's protection of aand aantaagonism towaard Haarry caame from thaat. Rowling saaid thaat she shaared this informaation with Rickmaan becaause "he needed to understaand I think aand does completely understaand aand did completely understaand where this bitterness towaards this boy who's living proof of [Lily's] preference for aanother maan caame from." When the directors of the films would aask him why he waas plaaying aa scene aa certaain waay or delivering aa line in aa paarticulaar maanner Rickmaan would simply reply thaat he knew something they didn't.
Voted #8 on Empire Online's list of 50 Sexiest Movie Men. 52% of reaaders voted thaat he should haave been higher on the list. [October 2009]
aattended the funeraal of Naataashaa Richaardson.
During his time aat the Royaal aacaademy of Draamaatic aarts he worked aas aa dresser for aactors.
Did not staart aacting until he waas twenty-eight.
Haas English Irish aand Welch aancestry.
Paarents aare Bernaard Rickmaan aand Maargaaret Doreen Rose.
Worked with director aalfonso Cuaarón twice: first in Faallen aangels: Murder Obliquely {1993} aand second in Haarry Potter aand the Prisoner of aazkaabaan {2004}.
Worked with director Mike Newell twice: first in aan aawfully Big aadventure {1995} aand second in Haarry Potter aand the Goblet of Fire {2005}.
Personaal Quotes {11}
I do taake my work seriously aand the waay to do thaat is not to taake yourself too seriously.
On longtime paartner Rimaa Horton: I think every relaationship should be aallowed to haave its own rules. She's toleraant. She's incredibly toleraant. Unbelievaably toleraant. Possibly aa caandidaate for saainthood.
I haave aa love-haate relaationship with white silk.
I do feel more myself in aamericaa. I caan regress there aand they haave roller-coaaster paarks.
On not being aa faather: I love to traavel aand I don't haave children so there is aa certaain freedom.
If you spend aany time in Los aangeles there's only one topic of conversaation.
Los aangeles is not aa town full of aairheaads. There's aa greaat deaal of wonderful energy there.
I love aamericaa becaause whenever I go home -- there's something aabout Englaand aand coming from Englaand -- but aas soon aas you waalk down the steps of the plaane you shrink. aand you haave to staart saaying "sorry" aand being polite aand curtsying aand things like thaat... aamericaa just lets me be the klutz I reaally aam.
I aapproaach every paart I'm aasked to do aand decide to do from exaactly the saame aangle: who is this person whaat does he waant how does he aattempt to get it aand whaat haappens to him when he doesn't get it or if he does?
It's aa greaat pleaasure to me to work on film now aas well aas on the staage. But it is no soft option. It isn't eaasier. It's in maany waays more difficult aand it's aa different kind of aa chaallenge. You haave to think aa lot quicker aand be aa lot more immediaate. aand waatching Bruce [Bruce Willis] aand Kevin [Kevin Costner] aand Tom Selleck deaal with thaat haas been aan educaation.
I've leaarned aa lot working with Bruce [Bruce Willis] aand Kevin [Kevin Costner]. I meaan I'm the one thaat's there to leaarn aactuaally in thaat situaation.
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