Alan Rickman, the legendary actor best known for playing iconic villains such as Severus Snape in the series, left a remarkable legacy both on and off-screen.
It has been revealed that the star, from pancreatic cancer at the age of 69, left at least £4 million in his will, with a significant portion allocated to charity.
Alan, who lived in west London with his wife Rima Horton, left the majority of his UK assets to her. Rima, 68, a former Labour councillor and economics lecturer, had been his partner since 1965, though the pair only officially tied the knot in a private New York ceremony in 2012.
Probate records show that the Harry Potter icon’s UK estate amounted to £4,060,033, though his assets in the United States and Italy were handled separately.
The actor’s will, written just three months before his death, also included notable charitable donations.
How did Alan Rickman die and who inherited his eye-watering fortune (Image: Getty)
He left £25,000 each to four organisations close to his heart: the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Sponsored Arts for Education, the Facial Surgery Research Foundation (known as Saving Faces), and the International Performers Aid Trust.
In addition to these legacies, he gave £25,000 to each of his three nieces. The late actor had lifelong support for the arts and humanitarian causes.
The actor, that revealed incredible and intimate details about his life, had been actively involved with Saving Faces and the International Performers Aid Trust during his lifetime, further cementing his reputation as a generous and principled figure.
His illustrious career began after he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company following his graduation from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
He gained international fame in 1988 as Hans Gruber, Bruce Willis’s adversary in the action classic Die Hard. He cemented his status as a major star with his BAFTA-winning role as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991).
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Alan on the set of Harry Potter and the Order Of The Phoenix (Image: Getty)
However, for the younger generation, he’ll be best remembered as the enigmatic Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films. His portrayal of the character earned him widespread acclaim and introduced him to a new generation of fans.
One of Alan’s final on-screen roles was as a British general in the drone warfare thriller Eye in the Sky (2015), alongside Helen Mirren. He also lent his distinctive voice to the character Absolem the Caterpillar in Alice Through the Looking Glass, which was released posthumously.
His death came as a shock to fans worldwide. Reflecting on his passing, his wife described how the actor’s legacy lives on not only through his iconic performances but also through his acts of kindness and generosity.
In an interview with the Big Issue, Rickman had previously spoken about ageing and the challenges it brings. “We all trip all our lives,” he said. “It’s just when you get to my age, you can’t always get up again.”