Harry Potter and the Cursed Child may have been an unexpected and rather unusual sequel to the story of the Chosen One, but it also gave us the perfect opportunity to spend a little more time with our favorite characters in the Wizarding World of Hogwarts.
It was just a couple of years ago when J.K. Rowling announced that the official sequel to The Deathly Hollows was in the works to hit the stage in 2016. Unfortunately for Potterheads all around the world, though, earlier that year, the actor behind Severus Snape and legendary artist Alan Rickman lost his battle to pancreatic cancer and died at the age of 69. Rickman’s portrayal of the grey character, who even posed as a villain for most of the series, truly brought him to life and made his last goodbye at the end of the final film all the more emotional.
As you may know, Rowling was really adamant that Rickman get the part and even went so far as to disclose the secret ending, which revealed him as the true hero of the story, since the actor felt like he was getting typecast as a villain and growing tired of it. So, as you’d expect, the writer developed an emotional connection with the actor who’d portray her most significant and layered character.
As such, Rowling got pretty choked up when she saw Paul Bentall in costume as Snape in The Cursed Child play, with the author explaining:
“In Harry Potter & the Cursed Child, Snape makes his first appearance with his back to the audience,” she wrote on Twitter. “At the dress rehearsal I saw him in his long black wig & my eyes filled with tears because, for a split second, my irrational heart believed when Snape turned round, I’d see Alan.”
This heartfelt account is enough to bring any fan to tears, but let’s take heart in knowing that Rickman’s legacy will live on through Harry Potter and the Cursed Child for years to come.