Alan Rickman, beloved stage, TV and film actor has died in London at the age of 69.  Rickman’s family confirmed he lost his battle with cancer on Thursday.

“The actor and director Alan Rickman has died from cancer at the age of 69. He was surrounded by family and friends,”; the statement read.

Whether it’s the Harry Potter series of Die Hard or voicing a monarch in an episode of cult cartoon King of the Hill, Rickman’s signature dictation is recognizable across generations.  A big-screen staple since 1988, when he starred as Hans Gruber, Bruce Willis’ sardonic, adversary in Die Hard, Rickman would go on to play a handful of other iconic “baddies”; including an outrageous sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, a terrifying Rasputin in the acclaimed 1995 HBO film, a cheating husband in Love Actually and of course, Professor Snape in every Harry Potter film ever made.

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The actor, who has never won an Oscar, received a Golden Globe, Emmy, BAFTA and many more accolades in his timely career. However, he spoke often about how “parts win prizes, not actors,”; revealing that he found it easier to treat his work seriously if he could look upon himself with levity.

“Actors are the agents of change,”; he said in a 2008 interview. “A film, a piece of theatre, a piece of music, or a book can make a difference. It can change the world.”;

He is still to be seen in “Eye In The Sky”;, a drone warfare thriller that picked up rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival. And he revised his role of Absolem the Caterpillar in “Alice Through The Looking Glass”;.

Rickman is survived by his wife, Rima Horton.

Celebrity reaction to Rickman’s untimely death have already started to pour in with the actor’s Harry Potter co-star Daniel Radcliffe releasing a touching statement that reads:

“Alan Rickman is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors I will ever work with. He is also, one of the loyalest 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 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”.

People create perceptions of actors based on the parts they played so it might surprise some 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.

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.”;

Sir Michael Gambon, who stepped into the role of Albus Dumbledore after Richard Harris passed away, told BBC Radio 4:

“Everybody loved Alan. He was always happy and fun and creative and very, very funny. He had a great voice, he spoke wonderfully well.

He was intelligent, he wrote plays, he directed a play. So he was a real man of the theatre and the stage and that’s how I think of Alan.”;

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling took to Twitter to share her condolences, tweeting:

Rickman’s Eye In The Sky co-star, Helen Mirren, has released a statement:

“Alan was a towering person, phsically, mentally and as an artist., He was utterly distinctive, with a voice that could suggest honey or a hidden stiletto blade, and the profile of a Roman Emperor.  He was also a great friend, generous and social. He will be very missed by many.”;

Emma Thompson released a touching statement about her friend:

“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. 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 finest of actors and directors. I couldn’t wait to see what he was going to do with his face next. I consider myself hugely privileged to have worked with him so many times and to have been directed by him.

He was the ultimate ally. 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.”;

Other Harry Potter cast members & celebrities have taken to social media as well:

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

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.jsPosted by Emma Watson on Thursday, January 14, 2016

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Alan was not only a great actor but a loyal, generous and devoted friend. We met in 2005 and he remained a friend and…

Posted by Emily Hampshire on Thursday, January 14, 2016

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Long Live Snape. And Hans Gruber. And Sheriff of Nottingham. #saddestweek — taran killam (@TaranKillam) January 14, 2016 There are few things I enjoyed more than watching Alan Rickman sigh in a movie. RIP — Seth Meyers (@sethmeyers) January 14, 2016

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