Acting luminaries from across the world took to social media to celebrate the life of the actor who died yesterday.

Alan Rickman, who tragically lost his battle to cancer yesterday aged 69, was one of the most respected and acclaimed luminaries of the acting world. In the wake of the news of his death, many of his friends and colleagues – the actors he appeared opposite during his career – have paid tribute to his memory.

One of his most regular on-screen collaborators, Emma Thompson, offered a heartbreaking statement, saying: “Alan was my friend and so this is hard to write because I have just kissed him goodbye. What I remember most in this moment of painful leave-taking is his humour, intelligence, wisdom and kindness. His capacity to fell you with a look or lift you with a word.”

Thompson co-starred with Rickman many times, including the 1995 adaptation of Jane Austin’s Sense and Sensibility, in Rickman’s directorial debut The Winter Guest in 1997, and the romantic-comedy hit Love Actually in 2003.

Rickman with Emma Thompson in 1990

Thompson’s statement continued, “The intransigence which made him the great artist he was – his ineffable and cynical wit, the clarity with which he saw most things, including me, and the fact that he never spared me the view. I learned a lot from him.

“He was the ultimate all. In life, art and politics. I trusted him absolutely. He was, above all things, a rare and unique human being and we shall not see his like again.”

The outpouring continued online with some of the world’s most celebrated and revered acting talents taking to social media to express their grief.

Daniel Radcliffe, who appeared opposite Rickman’s Professor Snape as Harry Potter in the global smash-hit movie franchise, published an equally heartfelt tribute on his social media profiles. “Alan Rickman is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors I will ever work with. He is also one of the loyalist and most supportive people I’ve ever met in the film industry. He was so encouraging of me both on set and in the years post-Potter. I’m pretty sure he came and saw everything I ever did on stage both in London and New York. He didn’t have to do that. I know other people who’ve been friends with him for much longer than I have and they all say, ‘If you call Alan, it doesn’t matter where in the world he is or how busy he is with what he’s doing, he’ll get back to you within a day.’”

The pair were adversaries on screen, but were close friends behind the scenes, who worked with each other for a decade, appearing in all eight Harry Potter films together between 2001 and 2011. Radcliffe’s statement continues, “People create perceptions of actors based on the parts they played so it might surprise people to learn that contrary to some of the sterner (or downright scary) characters he played, Alan was extremely kind, generous, self-deprecating and funny. And certain things obviously became even funnier when delivered in his unmistakable double-bass.

Rickman and Radcliffe as Professor Snape and Harry Potter

“As an actor he was one of the first of the adults on Potter to treat me like a peer rather than a child. Working with him at such a formative age was incredibly important and I will carry the lessons he taught me for the rest of my life and career. Film sets and theatre stages are all far poorer for the loss of this great actor and man.”

Harry Potter author, J. K. Rowling also made a short statement on twitter in response to Rickman’s death.

Another of Rickman’s Harry Potter co-stars, Emma Watson who played Hermione Granger in the wizarding films, posted a brief tribute on her Facebook page, saying, “I’m very sad to hear about Alan today. I feel so lucky to have worked and spent time with such a special man and actor. I’ll really miss our conversations. RIP Alan. We love you.”

Watson also posted several Tweets in honour of Rickman, featuring beautiful quotes by the outspoken actor about life and acting.

However one tweet (shown above), featuring a statement Rickman made in support of feminism, incensed a number of fans, who hurled abuse at Watson on Twitter, accusing her of using Rickman’s death to push a “feminist agenda.”

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