Kevin Smith's Tribute To Alan Rickman Is Tearful And Worth Reading

It’s been mere hours since the news of Alan Rickman’s death broke. In that brief period, the outpouring of love from both fans and friends has been staggering. One man, who qualifies as both, is writer/director Kevin Smith. Smith took to the internet this morning to talk about the man who touched so many lives, including his own. Get your tissues ready.

One of my favorite people who ever lived has died. The legendary #AlanRickman played Metatron, the Voice of God, in my...Posted by Kevin Smith on Thursday, January 14, 2016

The loss of Alan Rickman has hit all movie fans hard this morning. Rickman reportedly passed away after a battle with cancer. He left an amazing body of work on screen, especially considering he didn’t actually begin acting in movies until 1988’s Die Hard. Kevin’s Smith’s Facebook post is a beautiful summary of the actor’s career. His words are heartfelt and touching and serious, while at the same time the image attached, of Rickman as a genital-less angel in the movie Dogma, is hilarious.

Kevin Smith’s career had been slowly on the rise ever since his debut effort with Clerks. His fourth movie, Dogma, would become his largest effort to date and instead of containing his numerous close friends and independent film actors, because Ben Affleck was one of those once, it would include major names and a much larger budget. The first big star to sign on was Alan Rickman. He played Metatron, an angel who was the voice of God on earth, because the actual voice of God would crush your skull. It was one of the first major comic turns for the man who was generally known as a dramatic actor, preceding his better known role in Galaxy Quest by only a month.. It was truly a hilarious role. Here’s a terrific, NSFW sample.

There was really nothing Alan Rickman could not do on film. He was amazing as a villain, but could also be heroic. His role in the Harry Potter films allowed him to be both. He could do serious dramas but also could make you laugh. The idea that we won’t see him on screen anymore is still a shock. We will get to hear his voice one more time however. This summer's Alice Through the Looking Glass will include Rickman reprising his role as the Caterpillar.

There will be many more tributes to this great actor before the day is done, as he touched many lives. Like most fans we didn’t know except through his films. But we will miss him all the same.

Dirk Libbey
Content Producer/Theme Park Beat

CinemaBlend’s resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian, Dirk began writing for CinemaBlend as a freelancer in 2015 before joining the site full-time in 2018. He has previously held positions as a Staff Writer and Games Editor, but has more recently transformed his true passion into his job as the head of the site's Theme Park section. He has previously done freelance work for various gaming and technology sites. Prior to starting his second career as a writer he worked for 12 years in sales for various companies within the consumer electronics industry. He has a degree in political science from the University of California, Davis.  Is an armchair Imagineer, Epcot Stan, Future Club 33 Member.