Alan Rickman’s Journal Reveals Why He Continued Playing Professor Snape Despite Being Sick

The late Alan Rickman was well-known for his portrayal as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films. The actor passed away in 2016, but the memory of his performance as the fictional character lives on. In excerpts from Rickman’s diaries, which were published by The Guardian; fans can get a glimpse into why the actor continued playing Severus Snape.

Rickman was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2005, which later resulted in having his entire prostate removed. The actor was forced to confront his health issues prior to working on the fifth installment of the Harry Potter series.

Rickman’s journal entry after this event read as follows:

“Finally, yes to HP 5. The sensation is neither up nor down. The argument that wins is the one that says: ‘See it through. It’s your story,’”

Rickman would also go on to say

“… I have finished reading the last ‘Harry Potter’ book, Snape dies heroically, Potter describes him to his children as one of the bravest men he ever knew and calls his son Albus Severus. This was a genuine rite of passage. One small piece of information from Jo Rowling seven years ago – Snape loved Lily – gave me a cliff edge to hang on to.”

A collection of Rickman’s hand written diaries will be released in October titled, “Madly Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman”.

Rickman passed away from his battle with pancreatic cancer on January 14, 2016. While looking into someone’s journal is an incredibly private affair, it is nice seeing that he thought so highly of playing the role of Severus Snape for all of his fans.

Source: Variety