Alan Rickman brought Severus Snape to life on the big screen for the Harry Potter film franchise, but he wasn't the first actor offered the role. The English actor portrayed Snape in all eight installments of the series based on the beloved books by J.K. Rowling. If it wasn't for another actor's scheduling conflict, however, Rickman would not have played the fan-favorite character.
Severus Snape was first introduced in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as a Potions Master and professor at Hogwarts. He certainly wasn't a friendly presence at the school, and most students feared him, including Harry Potter. Even though he was thought to be a villain throughout the series, Snape was actually extremely loyal. He lived a double life as a Death Eater and a member of the Order of the Phoenix, vowing to protect the wizarding world. In his final moments, Snape also provided Harry with useful information regarding how to defeat Lord Voldemort once and for all.
Rickman seemed like the perfect choice for portraying Snape throughout the Harry Potter series. His performance as the anti-hero garnered numerous awards over the course of the decade. Rickman managed to bring darkness and emotion to the multi-faceted character, but still somehow made the figure likable. He almost didn't have the chance, however, considering actor Tim Roth was originally offered the role of Snape. In fact, Roth had every intention of taking the gig, but had to pull out of the job at the last minute due to scheduling conflicts.
Why Tim Roth Turned Down The Role Of Severus Snape In Harry Potter
Roth, a season English actor, rose to fame in popular films like The Hit, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Four Rooms. He initially auditioned for Snape when Sorcerer's Stone went into development and was deemed a fit for the role. Upon receiving the offer, Roth had already agreed to appear in Planet of the Apes, also set to debut in 2001. Much of the filming for the two roles overlapped, but both productions agreed to accommodate a way for the actor to film both titles. Unfortunately for Roth, the scheduling got to be too much, so he picked Planet of the Apes over Harry Potter.
The void left for the role of Snape didn't turn out to be a major problem for moving the Harry Potter series further. Before casting even began for the films, Rowling had always envisioned Rickman in the role of Snape. Some believed that Rickman was in mind when writing the character for the novels. It didn't take long for the author to get her wish granted, since the seasoned actor quickly signed on for the franchise. Rickman sadly passed away five years after his final appearance as Snape, but the role will always be a piece of his lasting legacy as a prolific actor in the eyes of multiple generations.
