Alan Rickman's diaries are being published as a book

The actor's diaries span the length of his acting career, from 'Die Hard' up to his final years.

Although Alan Rickman was known for playing icy, menacing characters on screen, the person behind such roles was an altogether different person.

Indeed, Rickman was known for his wit and his humour, all of which will no doubt come to the fore in a new book announced this weekend. 'The Diaries of Alan Rickman', due to be published in 2022, will be taken from the actor's 27 diaries written from the early '90s through to his final years.

Throughout this time, Rickman starred in the likes of 'Die Hard', 'Sense & Sensibility', 'Love, Actually', 'Galaxy Quest', and of course, the 'Harry Potter' franchise where he played Severus Snape. As well as this, Rickman's diaries also featured his extensive writings on theatre, as he was an avid attendee and often wrote reviews which he kept to himself, described by the publisher as "some rapturous and others scathing."

"The diaries reveal not just Alan Rickman the actor, but the real Alan – his sense of humour, his sharp observation, his craftsmanship and his devotion to the arts," said Rima Horton, Rickman's widow, to The Guardian.

Rickman passed away in 2016 from pancreatic cancer at the age of 69.