Cynics frequently comment when the public have an outpouring of compassion for celebrities that pass away. They comment on how people ‘don’t really know them’ or ‘don’t really care’.
What they fail to remember is that when a truly talented person comes along, we feel as though we know them. They come onto our screens in our very real homes, or in the very real music we listen to, or the very real books that we read. They make us feel real emotions, their very real portrayal can help people grow in real life, can help people work through real problems in their lives, and bring to life things that are cherished and sacred.
JK Rowling entrusted Alan Rickman with arguably the most complicated character in the entire Harry Potter series, and Alan, (along with Maggie Smith and Richard Harris) was the one of the only actors in the cast that truly encapsulated the spirit of his character and the Harry Potter series. Alan Rickman’s portrayal was Snape. He brought the character to life - he acted as a vessel to make corporeal the imaginations of millions and millions of children and adults alike. Therefore, his influence on the millions of people mourning him is very real. We are mourning.
Alan Rickman did many more things in his life than perform in Harry Potter. But, for somebody from my generation, his contributions to my childhood and teenage years I will never forget. It is seldom that you see such a crisp and accurate portrayal of a person that only existed on pages before.
The closest I ever got to meeting Alan may have only been glimpsing at his face after standing in the rain and the cold at the Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiere in Trafalgar Square, but his presence in my life, and many others, was very real. Delegitimising the grief people feel is an insult to them, and to Alan’s memory.
The night’s sky has gained another star tonight.
‘To the well organised mind, death is but the next great adventure.’ - Albus Dumbledore
melaninmonday-blog