Farewell To An Agent of Change:
8 Lessons From Alan Rickman
We Will Always Treasure
By Kel Fabie

Starring in his first movie role at the tender age of 41, several years after he should have already given it up, Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber proved to everyone that persistence does pay dividends. For the next 28 years, he regaled us with multiple memorable roles and performances in film, all the while remaining a force to be reckoned with in theatre.

Here are just 8 of the best quotes from some of Alan Rickman’s most memorable roles over the years.

8. On taking yourself seriously.

Alan Rickman’s distinct voice has always been one of his biggest draws. When you hear him enunciate every word in the way only he could, you can’t help but wonder how hilarious he would sound if he did something like, say, inhale helium.

Thankfully, he was never above such shenanigans.

The Lesson: No matter how big you might be, the ability to poke fun at yourself will always come in handy, because if you can’t knock yourself down a peg or two, someone else will be happy to do it to you–and you won’t like it when that happens.

7. On versatility.

As Hans Gruber, Alan Rickman was portraying a German character with a distinct accent that would give him away if ever Bruce Willis’s John McClane met him the first time. Except apparently, Hans knew how to fake an American accent juuuust fine.

The Lesson: Always have a few tricks up your sleeve nobody knows about. You never know when you might need to break a few expectations.

6. On commitment

“By Grabthar’s hammer… what a savings!”

When Alan Rickman played Alexander Dane in the comedy flick “Galaxy Quest,” he managed to capture the sense of a serious actor trying to stay relevant in the middle of something immensely shallow.

The Lesson: When you bring your A-game to the B-game, you elevate not just yourself but the game itself.

5. On the need for laughter.

While Rickman was known for playing villains, there is something understated about his sense of humor that never fails to prove just how huge a fan he is of making people laugh. Case in point:

The Lesson: As he himself said, “I think there should be laughs in everything. Sometimes, it’s a slammed door, a pie in the face, or just a recognition of our frailties.” If life were a drink, laughter makes it go down smoother.

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