Harry Potter is one of the biggest franchises on the planet in this day and age, and once upon a time, it was a book series that was taking the world by storm. Not unlike James Bond and comic franchises like DC, Harry Potter was able to successfully launch onto the big screen and truly reach another level of popularity with fans of the books while also reeling in a fresh batch of loyal followers.
There were plenty of prominent roles that needed to be cast just right, and Severus Snape was certainly among them. Alan Rickman was the man who eventually landed the role, and he was able to do so thanks to one heavyweight opinion.
Let’s see how Alan Rickman landed the role of Snape!
He Was Specifically Requested By J.K. Rowling
Authors of a successful book series that gets adapted to the big screen may have a wish list in mind when it comes to the actors they want to see in specific roles, but the truth is that they don’t always get their way. In the case of J.K. Rowling and her input for the films, her words were heard by the studio and played a huge part in some key roles being filled.
According to Time, Rowling had picked a number of important roles on a list that she gave to the studio, and among them was none other than Alan Rickman for the part of Severus Snape. Rowling had also been interested in Robbie Coltrane for Hagrid, Richard Harris for Dumbledore, and Maggie Smith for Professor McGonagall. It’s amazing that the author was able to make this happen.
Of course, the request of the author can only go so far, and the studio was still keen on setting out to find the right person for each role. They are the ones investing the time and the money into the franchise, so it was important to nail this part of things. Failure to do so could have had catastrophic results for everyone involved.
Even though Rowling saw Rickman as a perfect fit for Severus Snape, the studio would show interest in other performers. In fact, there was even a point when the role itself was actually offered to someone else.
Tim Roth Turned Down The Job
Tim Roth is a fantastic actor who has had plenty of success in the movie industry. Before Rickman was able to officially land the role of Severus Snape, Roth was actually offered the part!
Ultimately, Roth would turn down the chance to play Snape. It is hard to imagine any person declining the chance to appear in a franchise of films, especially considering how hard it can be to get work in Hollywood, but Roth decided that it was best to focus on other things instead.
During a Reddit AMA, Roth would say, “Do I regret it? I don't know if I ever think about things that way. If I had done it, everything would have changed. That's the nature of the randomness of life. It would have been nice to have a 7 year gig, that's a nice and comforting space to be in. But no, I think the better man for the job did the job.”
The studio was still in need of a Professor Snape, and it would not take long for them to eventually cast Rickman in the role. Now that he was locked in and Rowling was getting to see her vision come to life, it was time for the acclaimed actor to deliver the goods on the big screen.
Rickman Was Incredible In The Role
One of the amazing things about the Harry Potter films was each role seemed to be filled by the right person. Alan Rickman could not have been a better fit for the role of Severus Snape, and his legendary performance as the character guaranteed that Snape would be remembered forever.
During his AMA, Roth would touch on Rickman’s performance, saying, “Alan took it and ran with it and that was that. It was very different from what I was planning to do with the character, and that's OK.”
At this point, it is hard to imagine any other person in this role, and this is because Rickman was brilliant in each scene that he appeared in. These movies are iconic, and if we ever reach the point where they are being remade for a new generation, then the next Severus Snape is going to have a lofty altitude to reach.
It’s not often that actors are specifically requested for a role, but it just goes to show how talented Alan Rickman was.