Ten years after Alan Rickman‘s death, fans are still learning little stories that explain why he meant so much to the people around him. One of those stories comes from his Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton, who wrote about how Rickman quietly taught him “a great deal about charity” while they were filming together.
According to Felton, Rickman would often bring people into the studio and casually introduce them as cousins or friends. In reality, he was giving terminally ill children and their families a chance to see behind the scenes, without ever making it feel like a charity visit. As Felton put it (via The Guardian):
He taught me a great deal about charity. He would often have half a dozen people visit the studio each day, and would claim they were his cousins or friends. Really, he was offering terminally ill children and their families a chance to see behind the curtains.
Rickman also understood something Felton admits he learned the hard way: kids didn’t want to meet actors. They wanted to meet the characters. While Felton’s friendly greetings often confused young visitors, Rickman stayed completely in character. Felton added:
Alan would sneer at them in front of their parents, tell them to tuck their shirts in and clip them round the ear. Full Snape. Charming, disarming and a delight to watch.
In a way, it all mirrors Snape. On screen and off, Rickman let people assume one thing while quietly doing another. The truth only became clear later, and when it did, it showed someone far better than they first appeared.
Alan Rickman Refused Special Treatment on the Harry Potter Set
According to Felton, Rickman never separated himself from the rest of the cast and crew, even though he easily could have. While many actors had their meals sent to their trailers, Rickman chose to queue for breakfast and lunch like everyone else, still dressed head to toe as Snape.
Felton described seeing Rickman standing in long canteen lines, holding a plastic tray, surrounded by carpenters, set decorators, camera operators, and even goblins from Gringotts. Wig on. Costume on. Waiting for his turn.
At the time, Felton admits he didn’t fully understand why Rickman did it. Looking back, though, the message feels clear. Rickman wasn’t trying to make a point or draw attention to himself. He simply didn’t believe in special treatment.
As Felton later reflected, the unspoken message behind those moments was simple:
We’re all in this together. Equally.
That way of thinking didn’t stay off-screen. It also shaped how Rickman approached Snape.
The Reason Alan Rickman Never Played Snape as a Straight Villain
Alan Rickman as Severus Snape | Credits: Warner Bros.
Snape was never supposed to be a clear-cut bad guy, and Rickman knew that way earlier than the audience did. J.K. Rowling had already told him where Snape’s story was going, so even in the early films, he couldn’t play him like a full-on villain.
That’s why his Snape is horrible, but not unhinged. He’s bitter, petty, and unfair, but he’s always controlled. It feels like he’s choosing his behaviour, not losing control of it. Like there’s something he’s sitting on, even when we don’t know what yet.
And honestly, that’s probably why so many fans can even accept Snape as redeemable. If you strip it down to just his actions, he doesn’t suddenly turn into a good person at the end. What changes is how we understand him. Rickman never pushes you to feel sorry for Snape; he just leaves room for the truth to land when it’s finally revealed.
Do you think Rickman’s real-life kindness mirrors how Snape was written all along? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Franchise:Harry PotterAuthor:J.K. RowlingBooks Released:7 (1997-2007)Movies Released:8 (Warner Bros, 2001-2011)Movie Box Office (Total):Over $7.7 billion worldwide
All Harry Potter movies are available to stream on HBO Max (US).
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