Alan Rickman was an English actor who is best known for his role as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films. He was born in 1946 and passed away in 2016. He was a versatile actor, appearing in many films, television shows, and stage productions. He was also a voice actor, lending his voice to many animated films. His portrayal of Snape in the Harry Potter films was widely praised and he was nominated for several awards for his performance.