Alan Rickman: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

3. Harry - Love Actually

One of the great 'what ifs' of Rickman's career is the question of how differently his career might have played out if he'd accepted the lead in Four Weddings and a Funeral. It's hard to imagine now given how synoymous Hugh Grant is with the role, but Rickman had been the first choice for Charles. Instead, his first and only Richard Curtis rom-com role would be in the 2003 ensemble piece Love Actually, in what would prove one of the stand-out threads in the multi-protagonist tale.

While we might not necessarily class Harry as a villain, he absolutely fits Rickman's 'unsympathetic character' category, as the happily married man tempted into an affair with his younger secretary. No excuses are made for his behaviour, and it's made abundantly clear his wife (an also brilliant Emma Thompson) has done nothing to hurt him, and yet Harry is never painted as a bad person; he's only human, with all the flaws that entails.

Given how accustomed we are to seeing Rickman in showy, scenery-chewing roles, it's quite striking seeing him tackle something so grounded, with his trademark sneer notable by its almost complete absence.