“What the Hell is This?”. Harry Potter Star, Alan Rickman, Almost Turned Down One of his Most Iconic Roles
The role in Die Hard is one of Alan Rickman's most famous. However, the actor almost declined the opportunity to appear in this cult action film with Bruce Willis.
Alan Rickman was a highly esteemed British stage actor, but he is best known globally for his two most famous roles — Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series, and the antagonist Hans Gruber in Die Hard. Yet, the British actor nearly missed out on participating in what would become a cult production.
Although today John McTiernan's 1988 spectacle is considered one of the most successful and beloved action cinema hits, the screenplay by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza did not appeal to Alan Rickman (via Far Out Magazine).
The role in Die Hard was the first one offered to the actor upon his arrival in Hollywood, and he did not have to wait long for the proposal. Due to his lack of experience in the film industry, Rickman was offered a relatively little money. However, a mass-market blockbuster was not something that the artist, who had spent years in theater, could feel satisfied with.
I didn’t know anything about LA. I didn’t know anything about the film business. I read it, and I said, “What the hell is this? I’m not doing an action movie.”
His agents, however, explained what he was offered — a tremendous opportunity.
Agents and people said: “Alan, you don’t understand, this doesn’t happen. You’ve only been in L.A. two days, and you’ve been asked to do this film.”
Eventually, the actor agreed and became very involved in creating movie’s antagonist. He suggested, for example, that Hans Gruber should wear a suit so that in one of the scenes he could be mistakenly taken for a hostage. Thanks to his acting skill and talent, the artist created a memorable portrayal of the villain and one of the best roles of the 80s.
