Alan Rickman's letters reveal 'frustration' with playing Snape in Harry Potter movies

Letters released from late actor Alan Rickman’s collection reveal his frustration with playing the iconic role of Severus Snape in Harry Potter movies.

Presented for sale this week, the archive of papers belonging to Rickman — who died in 2016 — includes a letter from David Hayman, the producer who cast Rickman in the role of Snape, the sneering teacher from the Harry Potter series, The Telegraph reported. 

“Thank you for making HP2 (Chamber of Secrets) a success,” the letter reads. “I know, at times, you are frustrated but please know that you are an integral part of the films. And you are brilliant.”

Rickman later penned a note while working on the 2009 movie The Half-Blood Prince, titled “Inside Snape’s Head”, in which the actor wrote of frustration over the way director David Yates approached the character’s story-line.

“It’s as if David Yates has decided that this is not important in the scheme of things i.e teen audience appeal,” he noted.

Another letter — this time from author JK Rowling — praises the late actor, thanking him for “doing justice to my most complex character”.

Other items in the collection include letters from Prince Charles, Bill Clinton and Tony Blair, along with Rickman’s copy of the Die Hard script, the 1988 blockbuster movie in which he played the villain Hans Gruber.

Other letters also part of the late actor’s collection include one from actress Kate Winslet, who starred with him in A Little Chaos, as well as a note from Nicole Kidman, who called his performance in the London production of Private Lives “inspiring”.

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