Outside of maybe Die Hard or Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, Snape in the Harry Potter series is Alan Rickman's most recognisable role.
His performance in the role was hailed by author JK Rowling, who believed he defined the role in its infancy and helped to shape it in years to come. Longtime fans have always spoken how Rickman's performance so clearly mirrored Rowling's characterisation, to the point that it was almost as if he were written for the role.
However, private letters now up for auction reveal that Rickman was frustrated in the role of Snape. In a postcard sent to Rickman by producer David Heyman, it reads: "Thank you for making HP2 a success. I know, at times, you are frustrated but please know that you are an integral part of the films. And you are brilliant."
Rickman's meticulous script notes also detail his doubts right up to 2009's The Half-Blood Prince, with one note singling out director David Yates for not giving one scene due care - "It’s as if David Yates has decided that this is not important in the scheme of things i.e. teen audience appeal."
The collection, which is valued at just under £950,000, also has a trove of notes and letters from fellow actors, including notes of thanks from Kate Winslet from their time together in A Little Chaos and postcards from Nicole Kidman, Daniel Radcliffe, as well as the original scripts for Die Hard and many more.
The actor passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 69 in 2016.
Via Mirror.co.uk
