Daniel Radcliffe's Tribute To Alan Rickman Is Cute

With news on Thursday that Alan Rickman has died at the age of 69 of cancer, the tributes continue to flood in. The British actor was much loved, by fans and those who worked with him, and co-star Daniel Radcliffe posted an emotional tribute to Rickman, opposite whom he acted in the Harry Potter series. Rickman has portrayed a number of beloved characters, his role as complicated villain Professor Snape being one of his most iconic. Radcliffe first worked with Rickman in 2000, when the pair began filming the first movie in the Harry Potter series. Seven more sequels followed, and over that time, Rickman and Radcliffe got to know each other well.

Which is what makes it all the more heartbreaking to read Radcliffe's tribute to Rickman, which he posted to his GooglePlus profile on Thursday. A completely beautiful and fitting eulogy for an actor loved by many, Radcliffe said, "Alan Rickman is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors I will ever work with. He is also, one of the loyalest and most supportive people I've ever met in the film industry." And as if that wasn't enough to make you start sobbing uncontrollably, Radcliffe's tribute continues for a full page.

Daniel Radcliffe's praise for Alan Rickman is so important, because it shows what an amazing human being Rickman was. Not only was the A Little Chaos director immensely talented, he was also incredibly generous and supportive of others. In his tribute, Radcliffe said, "I'm pretty sure he came and saw everything I ever did on stage both in London and New York. He didn't have to do that. I know other people who've been friends with him for much much longer than I have and they all say 'if you call Alan, it doesn't matter where in the world he is or how busy he is with what he's doing, he'll get back to you within a day.'" Knowing that Alan Rickman was a wonderful person, as well as great actor, is such an important piece of information. If you're not crying already, you're a stronger person than I am.

Radcliffe's description of Alan Rickman is so lovely that it's really no wonder the actor was popular in so many movies. Radcliffe said, "As an actor he was one of the first of the adults on Potter to treat me like a peer rather than a child. Working with him at such a formative age was incredibly important and I will carry the lessons he taught me for the rest of my life and career. Film sets and theatre stages are all far poorer for the loss of this great actor and man." I couldn't have written a more fitting tribute than Daniel Radcliffe's, and the examples it contains of Alan Rickman's humility, helpfulness, and generosity, have given me all the feels.

While there are bound to be many more tributes to Alan Rickman, Daniel Radcliffe's is an important one because it describes a true friendship built over a decade. Harry Potter will always hold a special place in people's heart, which is why it's incredible to know that the actors involved in the movies supported each other, had fun together and, most importantly, appreciated each other's work. Thanks Daniel Radcliffe for writing the perfect tribute to one of the greats. Rickman will be missed.

Image: Warner Bros.