20 Things You Didn't Know About Die Hard
19. Hans Gruber Was Alan Rickman's Debut Movie Role At Age 41
It's crazy to think about, but Hans Gruber's iconic performance as terrorist leader Hans Gruber was the actor's starring feature film debut.
Prior to this, Rickman was known primarily for his stage acting, and his screen credits largely consisted of TV work, as well as a cameo as a TV commentator in the 1985 Vanessa Redgrave drama Wetherby.
At age 41, Rickman made his debut as Gruber, and the rest is history. Amusingly, he almost passed on the role because he wasn't thrilled about playing a villain, and had literally arrived in Hollywood mere days before shooting started.
And yet, there's not a hint of Rickman being wet around the ears in his star-making performance, which made him an intensely in-demand and beloved actor for, well, the rest of his life.