ACTOR · BORN 1946 · DIED 2016
Alan Rickman
- Born
- 21 February 1946
- Died
- 14 January 2016
64 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Sep 2026
10 Facts About Alan Rickman's Life and Family
- #012
A study analyzing 50 voice samples found that the "perfect male voice" is a combination of Alan Rickman's and Jeremy Irons's voices. In an interesting coincidence, the two actors played villainous brothers in the Die Hard series: Rickman played Hans Gruber in the 1988 original, while Irons played his brother Simon in 1995's Die Hard with a Vengeance. The research also scientifically confirmed how impressive and memorable Rickman's voice was.
- #017
After Alan Rickman's death in 2016, the 2016 film Alice Through the Looking Glass was dedicated to his memory. The gesture reflects Rickman's contributions to the world of cinema and the legacy he left behind. As one of his later works, the film holds a special place for his fans.
- #020
After suffering a stroke in the summer of 2015, Alan Rickman learned he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer but chose to keep the condition from the public. Sharing his illness only with those closest to him, Rickman kept the information secret until his death. This shows the importance he placed on his private life and the dignity with which he fought the disease.
- #025
Alan Rickman married Rima Horton, his partner since 1965, in a private ceremony in New York in 2012. Horton worked as a lecturer and had lost her seat as a local council member in the May 2006 local elections. The couple's long-lasting relationship reflects the stability and loyalty in Rickman's private life.
- #028
In Die Hard, Alan Rickman is seen firing a gun three times because of his habit of flinching at the weapon's recoil: in the scene where Gruber shoots Joseph Takagi, in the scene in the atrium where he realizes Holly is John's wife, and in the 'break the glass' scene. In one of these scenes, he blinks just before the camera cuts away; this detail remained as a natural moment in the film's editing. Rickman's habit added an unexpected realism to his performance.
- #031
Alan Rickman died on 14 January 2016, one day before the second anniversary of the death of Roger Lloyd Pack, who, like him, died of pancreatic cancer shortly before his 70th birthday. Pack had played Minister Barty Crouch in the Harry Potter films. Rickman's death came only four days after the death of British music legend David Bowie; this caused great sorrow around the world at the time.
- #035
Alan Rickman's marriage to Rima Horton in 2012 was kept so secret that no one knew about it until Rickman revealed it in 2015. The couple had been together since 1965, and they maintained their marriage with the same secrecy as their long-term relationship. This shows how protective Rickman was of his private life and that he preferred to stay away from the media.
- #047
Alan Rickman was a close friend of the comedian and writer Ruby Wax since the 1970s, and they shared a house in London in the early 1980s. The long friendship stands out as one of the stable relationships in Rickman's private life, and Wax made emotional statements about him after his death.
- #050
A documentary based on Alan Rickman's personal diaries revealed that he battled prostate cancer in 2005 and had his prostate removed. The illness is thought to be possibly linked to the fatal pancreatic cancer he was diagnosed with a decade later. The information shows how closely Rickman kept his health problems private and how much he valued his personal life.
- #055
Alan Rickman was the godfather of the British actor Tom Burke, who later became known for roles in series such as The Musketeers and Strike. The godfather relationship shows the deep bonds Rickman formed with those in his close circle.
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