Alan Rickman

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

A few photos of Alan Rickman from the 1992 production of #Hamlet, in which he played the title role in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy. #AlanRickman
@alanrickmancom

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

Remembering Alan Rickman on his birthday. ❤️
#AlanRickman @alanrickmancom

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

On March 22, 1992, Alan Rickman attended the British Academy Film Awards. #AlanRickman #BAFTA

[Severus Snape @severussnapecom]

In an interview with The Sunday Times marking the anniversary of Alan Rickman’s death, his wife Rima Horton reflects on their first meeting, the actor’s career, and the final months of his life. She speaks of the shock of his pancreatic cancer diagnosis, their decision to keep the illness private, and the artistic and human legacy Rickman left behind. @alanrickmancom

The Sunday Times, 17 January 2026 :

Horton, 78, first met Rickman 60 years ago, at the Brook youth drama group in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, when he was 19 and she was 18. Her first impression of him was “that he was a bloody good actor,” she says. “He stood out from an early age; he was always in a different league.”

It was an impressive career, but Horton feels it was cut short. In January 2016, aged 69, Rickman died in hospital a few months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. “It was a tremendous shock, we had no idea,” Horton says of the diagnosis.

In June 2015, the couple had been in Los Angeles while Rickman promoted the period drama A Little Chaos and noticed “a very nasty pain in his leg”, says Horton. They assumed it might have been deep vein thrombosis and went to a phlebotomist, who found a small blood clot and, concerned that it was something more serious, recommended Rickman see a doctor as soon as he was home. “That’s what led to the scans which discovered the cancer,” says Horton.

“We didn’t tell anybody apart from our families at first. Alan didn’t want people to look at him and say, ‘Oh, how sad’,” Horton says. They weren’t told that his illness was terminal, but “we knew it was fully grown and had spread. I didn’t google it or anything, I didn’t want to know, but we knew what it meant.” Rickman had chemotherapy, which Horton believes allowed him to live three months longer than the prognosis. “We knew the chemo wouldn’t work, but you live in hope,” she says. “You say, maybe we’ll be the exception where it does.”

Rickman and Horton were friends for a decade before their relationship began and didn’t marry until 2012, in a private, low-key ceremony in New York. They never had children, a combination of “not wanting to and it being difficult with our careers. It wasn’t a strong drive for either of us; I don’t regret it,” says Horton. She was a senior lecturer in economics at Kingston University and served as a Labour councillor in Kensington & Chelsea from 1986 to 2006.

Horton still watches Rickman’s films, her favourites being Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990) and Galaxy Quest (1999). She believes he was most proud of My Name is Rachel Corrie, a political play Rickman co-produced with Katharine Viner, now editor of The Guardian, and directed at the Royal Court Theatre. It is based on the diaries and emails of the activist Rachel Corrie, who was killed by an Israeli soldier when she was 23. “He took everything he did very seriously,” Horton says. “He couldn’t do a job without putting himself completely into it.”

To mark the anniversary of his death this month, Horton is holding a raffle of Harry Potter books signed by the cast, including Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes and Rupert Grint. “Snape was a brilliant character and Harry Potter was an important part of Alan’s life,” she says.

In 2021, Horton became a trustee of Pancreatic Cancer UK. Funds from the raffle will go towards rolling out a breath test that has been trialled at Imperial College.

Horton doesn’t wonder “what if”, but feels “awfully sad because he had so much more to give,” she says. The only thing her husband never had the chance to do was play King Lear, she thinks. Her favourite memories are not the film premieres and parties but “the early days in Manchester and Leicester where Alan was playing small parts in repertory theatre. I remember that time with great affection. He’s never not with me. He comes with me everywhere, all of the time.”
#AlanRickman #SeverusSnape #HarryPotter #Snape

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

A heartfelt thought for Alan Rickman, who left us 10 years ago today. ❤️
@alanrickmancom #AlanRickman

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

Alan dances on Romeo and Juliet ! #AlanRickman #RomeoandJuliet

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

Today’s Doodle Google celebrates Alan Rickman !! #AlanRickman #SeverusSnape #Snape #HarryPotter

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

We are hugely saddened to hear of the passing of the magnificent #RobbieColtrane who played #Hagrid with such kindness, heart and humour in the #HarryPotter films. He was a wonderful actor, a friend to all and he will be deeply missed.

[Severus Snape @severussnapecom]

Happy Birthday ! 🎁
#SeverusSnape #Snape
#Birthday #HappyBirthday

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

/* 😔

[Severus Snape @severussnapecom]

#HelenMcCrory, Narcissa Malfoy in #HarryPotter film series, dies at age 52... 😔
Her husband made the announcement on Twitter this morning.
Rest in peace, Helen /*
#NarcissaMalfoy

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

A young #AlanRickman in "Antony and Cleopatra" at the RSC in Stratford directed by Peter Brook, 3rd October 1978.

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

Remembering Alan Rickman on what would have been his 75th birthday. ❤ #AlanRickman

[Shianne Rae Sambrano @24shianne]

Hope you have a magnificent day!!! 🎂🎉🍻 @alanrickmancom

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

Remembering Alan Rickman today. Always in our hearts. ❤
#AlanRickman

[Severus Snape @severussnapecom]

🥳🥳🥳 #SeverusSnape #Snape

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

Alan Rickman's 27 volumes of diaries to be published as one book.
The Diaries of Alan Rickman, written by the actor until his death with the intention of one day publishing them, will be released in autumn 2022. #AlanRickman
Mochup cover by "The Rowling Library". (unofficial)

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

It's been four years since the passing of Alan Rickman. Always in our hearts. 💟

[Severus Snape @severussnapecom]

Happy Birthday Professor Trelawney ! 🔮
#HappyBirthdayTrelawney
#HarryPotter #Trelawney

[Alan Rickman @alanrickmancom]

In honor of his birthday, we're looking back at the film and television career of Alan Rickman.
Which role is your favorite ?
(Video : IMDb)
#AlanRickman #SeverusSnape #Snape #RIPAlanRickman

[Severus Snape @severussnapecom]

Today we're remembering the beloved Alan Rickman Harry Potter's Half Blood Prince, Professor #SeverusSnape, on what would have been his 73rd birthday. What would you tell him today if you had the chance ? #AlanRickman #RIPAlanRickman