Okay. So some of you Popwatchers out there were — eh-hem — disappointed that I did not provide more details about the Sundance dinner with Alan Rickman. Shall I explain? For one thing, I was leaving that detail duty to Rickman’s No. 1 Most Awesomest Fan, Whitney Pastorek. For another, I was waiting until I interviewed the guy because I wanted to find out if he was going to use the Las Vegas hotel voucher he won at said dinner. Also, though I knew he’d never comment on it, I shamelessly had to tell him that his portrayal of Snape made me love the grumpy ole prof well before the last book revealed his heartbreaking secret. (El Jefe Pastorek and I share this sentiment.) So here you have it, Rickman lovers: After the jump, a peek at my chat with him from the day after his film, Bottle Shock (pictured), premiered.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Are you having a good time here?
Alan Rickman:Yeah, it’s like 1995, maybe, or ‘94, that I was here before. It seemslike it’s still a small town, but something else is going on.
Something else, like swag?
Well you get taken around places, and then it’s, I dunno, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon or something. [Laughs]
Bottle Shock is the second film you’ve made with director Randy Miller [after 2007's Nobel Son]. I’m guessing you get along.
Ilove working with Randy and Jody [Savin, the cowriter]. God knows it’shappened before that directors and writers build up a repertory ofactors. I think it’s sort of sound economics on some level. You canstep straight into work because you understand the language.
You play a connoisseur of wine in this movie. How about in real life?
Ilove wine. I think it’s kind of a miracle, the way it grows, the factthat the vines will play along with somebody that bothers to understandthem. I spend quite a bit of time in Italy. A friend of mine has avineyard there. Good wine, good food, people talking in a beautifulsurrounding — you don’t really need much else.
Are you going to use your Vegas hotel room voucher?
[Laughs]
That was funny, that you, and you alone, won one.
It was abit funny. But strangely enough, a friend of mine and his wife live inVegas. And because I’m not likely to be there in the next year, I’vegiven it to them because they really need a break. I’m gonna give themthree days in a hotel, just up the road from their house. They can takea fake vacation and maybe take their daughter and let her play in thepool and all of that.
Okay, I think your wranglers are giving me the signal, but I haveto say, even before I got to the end of the Harry Potter books —
Beforeyou go any further, I never, ever talk about that character. Numberone, because it’s not fair on kids who haven’t read to the end. And forme to say anything — there’s a bit of it that just should be leftinnocent. It’s real storytelling, what she’s done, and I’m part ofthat. So I just never talk about it.
When do you go back to shoot Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince?
They’re shooting six [now], and I start shooting my part of it beginning of February.
It’s a bigger part for you this time.
Ahh…. There’s important stuff. [Smiles]
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LOVE LOVE LOVE Alan Rickman! He is one of my favorite actors. He is truly amazing. When I heard he was cast as Snape I was so thrilled. What that man can do with one word or one line of dialogue it truly incredible. From the last film – when he said “Obviously” he cracked me up.
Class…awesome…i love that he doesn’t talk about Snape and lets the story speak for itself…when we’re able to clone humans, I hope Alan Rickman is on the list…I want to buy my own and keep him and love him and squeeze him and call him George…
Alan Rickman is super-sexy-cool! He is always the best thing in any movie he acts in and I will forever be in love w/ the portrayal of his Jane Austen character Colonel Brandon in Sense & Sensibility! too bad Hollywood can’t appreciate how sexy he is!
Rickman’s the man. A gorgeous, gorgeous man…
I understand why he doesn’t talk Snape. But, man, I hope once all the films are done he really opens up about this character. Please, please, please?!?!
Classy handsome … I wouldn’t turn down a cup of coffee dinner drinks… anything else with him.
Words cannot describe my love for Alan Rickman, and I mean that in a non-creepy/stalker way. His portrayal of Snape has always been perfect and he’s outstanding in everything he’s in, from: Die Hard to Dogma, to Robin Hood and that weird hair movie w/ Josh Hartnett. Thanks for sharing your interview Missy, I’m insanely jealous.
Last I heard, Alan Rickman doesn’t talk about Harry Potter because he hasn’t read the books, not because he’s “noble” or something like that.
Wilson – Then you are clearly misinformed. Alan Rickman has read the books, a fact he himself has mentioned in several interviews. Also, he queued to get Book 7 at midnight in the UK when it came out in July.
Wilson – Then you are clearly misinformed. Alan Rickman has read the books, a fact he himself has mentioned in several interviews. Also, he queued to get Book 7 at midnight in the UK when it came out in July.
I’d marry that man, in a second. He’s a legend. I’ve never been into an actor as long as I’ve been into him, and as “stalker” as I’ve been with him :]]
<3
Plus he is totally delicous, even though he’s in his sixties
I couldn't live without him, he is like my savior <3
Ah, Rickman. Sigh….. Any day with Rickman is a very good day. I’ve had a hopeless crush on him ever since “Die Hard.” And I will say, without the least bit of shame, that I have his ALA “Read” poster up in my office so I can gaze upon him at work. Now if Ciaran Hinds would do a “Read” poster, I’d be all set.
I just love him. He made Snape my favorite Potter character. But I pretty much love everything else he has done as well!
I just love him. He made Snape my favorite Potter character. But I pretty much love everything else he has done as well!
No shame necessary, orville – I have that poster in my office, too. And I also love Alan Rickman in pretty much everything he does. He was far and away my favorite thing in the last Potter movie. If you’re going to cut your story to ribbons and thereby require one of your actors to put 16+ years of backstory and a firestorm of emotion behind one calmly-delivered “No idea,” you’d better cast Alan Rickman.
I love this guy. He picks great roles and delivers each one superbly. Of course I love Snape, but I also loved him in Sweeney Todd, Dogma, Sense & Sensibility and Galaxy Quest…he has quite a range. He is just one of the best actors around and his voice…if I could only bottle it. One word from him can melt my knees like hot chocolate…”Obviously”
I love this guy. He picks great roles and delivers each one superbly. Of course I love Snape, but I also loved him in Sweeney Todd, Dogma, Sense & Sensibility and Galaxy Quest…he has quite a range. He is just one of the best actors around and his voice…if I could only bottle it. One word from him can melt my knees like hot chocolate…”Obviously”
He can read the phone book and I would melt.. Loved him in Truly madly deeply.. His singing voice is also very good. I saw Sweeney Todd.. his duet with Johnny Depp is quite a treat. I will watch anything he is in.
Love, love, love that man!!
Is it wrong to say I own Galaxy Quest because he is in it?
Love Mr. Rickman. He has a great respect for Rowling and the fans of her series.
Another (rather obvious) reason he won’t talk about Snape is that most of the time he is promoting another movie. In this case it’s Bottles Shock, which sounds like fun film but has a very limited budget and needs as much publicity as it can get. If Rickman answered every question about Snape any journalist ever asked, no one would know he’s ever been in anything else!
Bottle Shock is another example that Alan Rickman does comedy really well and I’m sorry so many journalists are absorbed by his “villain” characters to acknowledge his great comic timing. I can’t wait to see it.
He was so wonderful in Truly Madly Deeply — and such a d**k in Die Hard and Robin Hood. Love him as Snape – you simply cannot imagine anyone else making that role come alive the way he has. I cannot wait to see how he handles The Half Blood Prince and the final book – I imagine the reaction of Daniel Radcliffe as Harry finally having his Snape epiphany as being one of the most (hopefully) gut-wrenching moments ever captured on film.
I love Alan Rickman.I have all films he is in. (Although it is so hard to find them.)
He is a great actor.( I watched Rasputin and fell in love with him.)
“Before you go any further, I never, ever talk about that character.”
Which character? Lily?
Yep, he has a wonderful knack of delivering tons and tons of emotion and insight in even just one word.
I’m really looking forward to him saying “Always.”
Yeah Alan Rickman is a fantastic actor!! I just love his voice!! I could listen to him speaking all day and never grow tired of it… he has just such a wonderful voice, shivers…
alan is such a wonderful actor.I have been a great fan of him since his first potter film.I regret that I haven’t watched his without-potter movies.His capability as an actor to speak eveything without a single word left me entralled.live long…alan
alan is such a wonderful actor.I have been a great fan of him since his first potter film.I regret that I haven’t watched his without-potter movies.His capability as an actor to speak eveything without a single word left me entralled.live long…alan
I can’t wait to see this film – I hope it won’t take as long as getting my hands on Snowcake! I finally had to order it from the UK and pray that my player would be able to read it (it did). Donner: I’ll join you in the cloning dept. and I do remember where the George comment comes from!
Alan is my favorite actor ever! He is just so amazing. He doesnt draw attention to himself like alot of other actors that aren’t even half as good as him. He is just the best =]