Luke Sneyd: Haaaaaaans?? Damn what a lousy week. I’ll miss Alan Rickman, so much genial talent and a class act. I don’t think anyone in the world could say “Potter” with the same degree of total disgust. That caramel voice with its meticulous British diction, he brought incredible personality to so many roles.

My favourite will always be one of the best villains of all time, Bill Clay, aka Hans Gruber. Who else could have made “give me my detonators” one of the most quotable lines in cinematic history? He’s hard to write about because in spite of such indelible roles, he always had an effacing quality. I loved the aggrieved nobility he brought to Dr. Lazarus in Galaxy Quest, again with the beautifully mellifluous reading of “by Grabthar’s hammer.” I always liked Severus Snape, the secret hero of the Harry Potter series. It was a thankless job, hated for the wrong reasons. He came to a tragic end but Harry recognized his extraordinary sacrifice. And for his troubles Snape got to be deliciously, singularly unlikeable.

Alan Rickman’s villains are his best creations, ironic for such a quiet, charming man. May you find yourself in the most English of heavens, Alan. When it came to our attention, you were an exceptional thief.

Mat Langford: One of my fondest memories of Rickman’s body of work will always be his brooding portrayal of Severus Snape, Harry Potter’s (spoilers!) nemesis-turned-protector throughout the series.

Reading his story arc from Half-Blood Prince to DH2 and imagining his performance of it was one thing, but actually seeing it in the films was so much more powerful and mesmerizing. His love for Lily setting him on a course that would define his life, ultimately ending in a tragic yet redeeming revelation through the pensieve, showing Harry his true intentions…just thinking about it still gives me chills.

His shining body of work is impressive, but this performance will always define Rickman for me. It’s a sad day for fans of the series and film in general. He will be missed!

Marie Gilbert: I was shocked to learn of Alan Rickman’s death, as we all are when a talented person passes from this world. While many people are remembering Alan for his work in film and theatre, I remember him for his beautiful voice and, the way he made the spoken word dance inside my head like butterflies on a warm summer day. It didn’t matter if Alan Rickman was playing a villain or a comedy role, when he spoke, you listened. How could you not? His voice was commanding, as was his personality both on stage and screen and off.  I first heard of Alan Rickman when he appeared as the dastardly Hans Gruber in the first Die Hard film. His voice in Die Hard, which was sometimes hypnotizing, made his acts of terror ever so more frightening.  As Severus Snape in the Harry Potter Franchise, his acting, and I’m sure his way of speaking the King’s English, earned him worldwide recognition, but it was his part as Alexander Dane in the comedy film, Galaxy Quest that made me a loyal follower of Alan Rickman.  R.I.P Mr. Rickman, you have left this world a nicer place with your words.

Loretta Sisco: It’s been tough for Brits in the entertainment industry of late, with the passing of Lemmy Kilmister of the music group Mötorhead and David Bowie. Today we lost another true talent in actor Alan Rickman.

He was successful on both the stage and screen playing a variety of characters. He was great in any role he was in, making him one of the rare actors you would go see even if you weren’t interested in the film, just because he was in it. His performance alone would make it worthwhile.

Although I enjoyed his wit in Dogma and Galaxy Quest, I will best remember him as Sheriff Nottingham in 1991’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Rickman made the villain one of the most alluring bad guys to ever grace the big screen. I’ve seen this movie too many times to count, always envious of Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in the role of Marian. Alan Rickman will be missed by fans worldwide.