If there was one actor who made playing bad look good, it was the late Alan Rickman. There are a slew of roles the 69-year-old British actor will forever be remembered for, but Harry Potter's Severus Snape and Die Hard 's Hans Gruber are two of his breakout performances — and two fans continue to cherish. Well, that's exactly how The New Yorker feels, because the magazine is honoring Alan Rickman with the perfect tribute. In a cartoon created by Benjamin Schwartz, Harry Potter and John McClane share a beer for Rickman. Does it get more perfect than that?
As Harry and John clink their beers together, the caption of the photo reads, "Here’s to the best damned antagonist a guy could ask for." I couldn't have said it better myself. Even though Snape was more of a misunderstood villain (and I personally don't think of him as a villain), unlike Hans Gruber who was just plain bad, that doesn't go against Rickman's ability to transform into the best bad, complex, and dark guy around in film. He spoke villainy better than all the rest and made sure everyone felt like you never wanted him as your enemy.
There will never be anyone quite like Rickman when it comes to an adversary in film, which is why so many are honoring him for his talent to bring to life some of the baddest antagonists to life.
The New Yorker definitely got it right with this cartoon. So much so, I just might have to frame it, because it's just that spot-on.
