Alan Rickman was renowned for his deep, distinctive voice and commanding presence on both stage and screen. He gained international acclaim through iconic villain roles, most notably as Hans Gruber in Die Hard (1988) and the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991). His portrayal of Severus Snape across the entire Harry Potter film series (2001–2011) became perhaps his most celebrated role, widely praised for bringing real complexity and depth to the character. Beyond villains, he showed considerable range in dramatic and romantic roles, earning a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, a Primetime Emmy and a Screen Actors Guild Award over his career.