Alan Rickman’s journal reveals why the Harry Potter actor continued playing Snape

The Guardian has published excerpts from Alan Rickman's diary, kept over the span of 11 years while the actor starred in the blockbuster Harry Potter franchise. The entries give us a look into why Rickman continued to play Snape throughout all eight films, despite his own health problems.

"Finally, yes to HP 5," he wrote in 2006, following the removal of his prostate after an intense battle with cancer in 2005. "The sensation is neither up nor down. The argument that wins is the one that says: 'See it through. It’s your story.'"

According to Variety, the actor wrote his diaries with the intention of having them published someday – and it's possible he wanted the whole world to know about the deep connection he felt towards Snape's character. 

"I have finished reading the last Harry Potter book," Rickman wrote in 2007, after learning of his character's fate for the first time. "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."

Rickman was best known for playing villain Hans Gruber in 1988's Die Hard, but became a household name after starring as Professor Severus Snape in all eight installments of the Harry Potter franchise. Rickman passed away on January 14, 2016 at the age of 69, following an ongoing cancer battle. 

Madly Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman is set to hit shelves this October. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2022 and beyond, or skip right to the good stuff with our list of movie release dates.