The Villain’s Secret Exhaustion: Emma Thompson on Alan Rickman Villain Roles and His Desire for Heroism

Alan Rickman, Hollywood's most iconic antagonist, was secretly "fed up" with being the bad guy. According to a recent interview with GQ, his long-time friend and co-star Emma Thompson revealed that the late actor felt a profound sense of relief when finally offered roles that allowed him to be "heroic and nice."

Why Alan Rickman Villain Roles Became a Creative Burden

Rickman shot to superstardom after playing Hans Gruber in Die Hard (1988) and the Sheriff of Nottingham in 1991. While these roles earned him critical acclaim, including a BAFTA nomination, they also pigeonholed him. Thompson shared that by the time Sense and Sensibility came around in 1995, Rickman was desperate to showcase a different side. Playing the honorable Colonel Brandon wasn't just another job; it was a sanctuary from the "villain" archetype that the industry relentlessly pushed upon him.

The Snape Paradox and the Diaries

This struggle for character depth extended to his tenure as Severus Snape. Excerpts from his posthumous diaries, , show that Rickman considered exiting the Harry Potter franchise as early as 2002. However, a single piece of information from J.K. Rowling—that Snape truly loved Lily Potter—gave him the motivation to "see it through." Even after battling cancer in 2006, he remained committed, noting that the story was worth the fight.