After recovering from prostate cancer in the early 2000s, Alan Rickman had a minor stroke in 2015, leading to a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. While, according to BBC, he wanted to keep his terminal illness a secret from the public, Rickman passed away on January 14, 2016, in London at the age of 69.
Shortly before his death, the actor took part in films such as ‘Eye In The Sky’ and ‘Alice Through The Looking Glass,’ both dedicated to his memory. But the project that helped him rise to fame came in 1988 with his role as the German terrorist leader Hans Gruber in ‘Die Hard.’
His part as Severus Snape in the ‘Harry Potter’ film series introduced him to a younger generation of fans in the years following ‘Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone.’ In fact, the series largely contributed to his earnings, placing him as the 20th highest-grossing actor in movie history.
Celebrity Net Worth suggested that Rickman had a net worth of $16 million, with his films grossing over $3.4 billion over the years. Further details from The Mirror mentioned that he had assets worth more than £4 million in the UK and additional assets in Italy.
The news website wrote that Rickman’s will specified that £100,000 of his fortune was to be divided among four charities: the Facial Surgery Research Foundation, the International Performers Aid Trust, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and Sponsored Arts for Education. Although the actor, who didn’t have any children, left a big portion of his wealth to his wife, Rima Horton, each of his three nieces also received £25,000.
A few years after his death, The Guardian reported that Canongate and Alan Taylor would publish Rickman’s diaries, spanning over 25 years, as a book. The book, ‘Madly, Deeply: The Alan Rickman Diaries,’ came out in October 2022.