In Memoriam: 5 best Alan Rickman roles

Yesterday, many were surprised by the sudden news of Alan Rickman's death – the man who is best known for playing various roles as a complex antagonist, most notably, Severus Snape in the "Harry Potter" franchise.

Rickman died of cancer on 14 January 2016, at the age of 69 in London where he was surrounded by his family and friends, BBC reports.

Plenty of tributes from Rickman's co-stars and celebrity friends flooded in on social media minutes after his death were announced including "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling and his co-stars like Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson among others.

As many of us remember Rickman for his role as Professor Severus Snape in "Harry Potter" series, he was also a wonder in several other film roles through which his acting legacy will live on. Rickman's last performance was as Lieutenant General Frank Benson in the 2015 British thriller, "Eye in the Sky", and he also voiced Absolem the Caterpillar in the upcoming Tim Burton film, "Alice Through the Looking Glass".

Here are his 5 best film performances.

1. Hans Gruber in "Die Hard" (1988)

Rickman played a stylish and elegant villain in one of the most notable action films of all time. In "Die Hard", Rickman is the leader of a group of highly organised criminals, opposite Bruce Willis who is an off-duty New York City Police Department officer. Rickman gained wider acclaim after acting in this film.

2. Sheriff of Nottingham in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" (1991)

This is one of the best films where Rickman plays an evil yet funny role. Since the movie itself was already silly, Rickman basically stole the limelight. Kevin Costner was a great actor too, but many would remember the film due to Rickman's memorable performance. He even won himself the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

3. Colonel Brandon in "Sense and Sensibility" (1995)

As amazing as he is as a villain, Rickman also performed wonderfully well as the warm and kind Colonel Brandon in Ang Lee's film based on Jane Austen's famous romantic fiction. His charming role in "Sense and Sensibility" got him nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role as well as a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

4. Alexander Dane in "Galaxy Quest" (1999)

"Galaxy Quest" sees another comical role played by Rickman in a film that parodies the famous science fiction series "Star Trek". Rickman plays Alexander Dane, a Shakespearian actor who plays the alien, Dr. Lazarus of Tev'Meck, who is sort of an unenthusiastic version of Leonard Nimoy. Rickman is sublimely funny in the film as he injects his own persona into the role.

5. Severus Snape in all of the "Harry Potter" film series

Every Potter fan will forever remember Rickman as the cold, sarcastic and bitter teacher from the "Harry Potter" series, before finally crying over his redeeming death in the penultimate movie. The film is the one project that made him gain immense recognition and popularity among the younger generations. His character is so notable that it has gotten a total of seven nominations and four wins at the prominent award shows like MTV Movie Awards, People's Choice Awards, Saturn Awards, Scream Awards and more!