Open letter to Alan Rickman

My dearest Alan,

I know it may be a bit late, me writing to you, but I guess better late than never. Also, we do not know when paths may cross - I believe in afterlife and in God and Heaven, and somehow I feel that you believed in that too. Why do I think that, you might ask, and I will say that by the way that you lived you were an amazing kind and forgiving person. You were an altruist and you gave yourself 100% (time and attention) to the people you were with at a certain point in time. Some may argue that you must have had a evil/dark side as you chose so many negative characters to play... I say you always played them with a twist, you always managed to get us to like (or even love) them. You made them more human and attractive than anyone else could.

I remember watching you in Die Hard at first; watching you at the TV for Christmas... I believe that right now there is a tradition in many houses where there is no Christmas without the first part of the Die Hard installment and that is mainly because of you amazing acting skills - not to mention that deep voice that makes you stop and listen, whereever you are! Then I discovered you on the big screen, when I went to see Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves; that is when I started asking myself if it is truly ok to love a negative character that much (maybe even more than Robin Hood!). I tried to tell myself at first that all this is happening due to the fact that you were British, purely because of that... but as I got on with age and watching more and more of your movies I realised it was not just that...

The way you talk, slow and deep, demands to be listened. Somehow it is both soft and authoritative. When you would stop talking I would always want more, and wait for the next line your character would deliver. You would immerse yourself in that character and be 100%  until the shooting would be done (all the fellow actors say that you were dedicated to your work, and you can certainly see that in your movies). You were an old-class, old-school gentleman and they don't make people like you anymore... when God made you he poured a lot of talent and love and patience in you... not to mention brilliancy! Whom else except you would stuck in a note to the director, in one of the first major parts you played (Die Hard - Hans Gruber), to let them know that the villain should use a suit? And guess what? I don't believe we can imagine the soft dark villain Hans, with his amazing accent, wearing anything else than a suit! You somehow always knew what your characters needed... The same you went above and beyond in Harry Potter, when you got so in touch with Severus Snape's style that you asked for the costume you wore to be even more rigid/tight, buttoned up and extra buttons on the sleeves... Snape is the character that everybody loves to hate! :) yet the one character that made us cry out loud when he dies...

Probably the character that stays with me, since I was a wee lass, more than any other character that you have helped come alive, is the one of Colonel Brandon from Sense and Sensibility. He was one of the loves of my childhood (as Snape was one of my adolescent one). I could not believe that Marianne would rather fall for Willoughby than for the dashing, silent and brooding Colonel Brandon. Alright, you were older and you did not talk much, but when you did... you stole the scene! What do I speak! You stole the scene even if you did not speak, even by your mere presence. Few can rock a period costume (especially a cravat!) like you did. It was as if you were born for any age, but especially the gentleman-like age, were men took care of their ladies and they would open up the door for them and take them for tea and a stroll in the park...

I always loved the way you were both on and offscreen. A big heart with a beautiful smile. A person who managed to get his life straight and not be influenced by Hollywood and the craziness of the world. You have met the love your life when you were 19 and she was 18. You stayed together, as a team, as a family, as one, until your very last breath - for over 50 years! You married Rima Horton and you were faithfull to her - just like a true gentleman. I imagine how lovely would be to wake up and have that instantly recognizable voice to tell you "Good morning!" or recite you poetry... You will be sorely missed - as actor, as director but beside everything... as an amazing human being!

We will love you. ALWAYS!

With lots of love,
The Twisted Red LadyBug that will miss seeing you and hearing your lovely deep voice :(