The most difficult role to play in the Harry Potter series would have to be that of Severus Snape, who was the most complex character out of all. Snape’s duplicitous nature was supplemented by his self-loathing and his hatred of everybody else; Harry more so than anyone.
For this reason, Alan Rickman was one of the most beloved actors for fans as he ensured Snape’s character was done justice by nailing all the mannerisms of the man without fault. You’ll no doubt be wondering which traits we’re talking about here, so here are 10 Snape mannerisms that Alan Rickman masterfully emulated.
Command In Spell Incantation
Snape’s excellence in spell casting was such that every scene where he was seen using these spells highlighted his mannerisms, with Harry noting how Snape would be very loud, clear, and have a commanding tone.
As seen in scenes such as the duelling club, where we first saw the use of the “Expelliarmus,” Alan had a booming voice on hand to alert the audience that Snape would be completing a spectacular execution of a spell. He nailed the non-verbal spells as well, with the scene after Dumbledore’s death, in particular, having the same conviction in his hand movements as Snape did.
Constant Eye Contact
Harry always hated having Snape in the vicinity as he got the feeling that the latter was watching him. It was worse when Snape was indeed addressing him, with his eyes directly scanning Harry’s in an attempt to break him.
We don’t have to point out any scene specifically to prove this point, as the film version exclusively carried this trait with his piercing stare menacingly fixated upon whomever he had in his sights. Alan perhaps bettered this aspect of the character compared to the book.
Speaking Barely Above A Whisper
One of the things that made Snape so mysterious was how he didn’t let on any of what he might have been thinking or planning, something that was impossible to guess since Snape spoke in such a way that you barely heard him speak unless he wanted you to listen.
Snape’s liking toward barely moving his lips as he breathed his words out was absolutely nailed by Alan Rickman, who cemented some of Snape's most infamous quotes with his perfect delivery. In fact, the times where he made use of this mannerism were indication for the audience that a crucial scene concerning Snape was playing on.
Containment Of Seething Rage
The film series didn’t have the some of Snape's more wrathful moments that were there in the books, and these were instead integrated within the scenes where he kept his rage bottled up. Snape did do this for the most part in thee books too, as his status as a double agent meant he couldn’t lose his cool.
Some people found Alan Rickman to be scary in scenes such as the one where he caught Harry looking into his memories, or where Snape apprehended Quirrell. These were mainly due to the actor employing Snape’s habit of keeping his seething rage in check through the use of issuing threats.
Dry Humor
If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed not to be found in the Harry Potter books, it’s a joke uttered by Snape. So, it’s natural that this didn’t translate onscreen either; however, we did see Alan’s interpretation of Snape’s sarcasm.
This was best seen in the scenes where he wanted nothing to do with Harry but was forced to talk to him, like the Slughorn party sequence. On other occasions, Alan emulated Snape’s trait of insulting someone in public by masking it behind his dry wit to personally attack them.
Impassive Face
Full credit and more needs to go to the actor for perfecting this aspect of Snape, seeing as it would’ve killed the character’s interpretation had he not been shown with an impassive face. We saw this best in scenes where Snape was around the enemy, such as Voldemort and Umbridge.
The books made sure to reference toward Snape’s lack of reaction when either goaded or in the presence of something terrible happening. The part where Charity Burbage is killed right next to Snape comes across as if the scene from the book has been made into a carbon copy in live-action, as Alan Rickman reflected a completely impassive reaction.
Silent Sadness
Having nobody to talk to, Snape ended up indulging in his sadness all by himself by attempting to either hide his face or avoiding to let his tears flow. While the film series had very few moments for this, we did see Alan totally pull off this mannerism in those times.
It was seen well in Snape’s memories, during Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, especially during the famous “Always” scene as Alan combined Snape’s impassive face with his silent sadness, something that very beautifully conveyed the character’s inner pain to the viewer.
Smirk Of Authority
Witnessing Snape actually do something even remotely close to a smile would send chills down Harry’s spine as it made Snape both suspect and seemingly devious. Of course, these were rare cases that Snape reserved for whenever he was having his way, like when Sirius was about to be administered the Dementor's kiss.
Though it must have been a task with the obvious expectations, Alan Rickman's portrayal of this was sterling. These subtle grins ended up being scene-stealers, as Snape’s smirk was just as devious as the scenes called for it to be. And there we had the same character from the pages of the book right before our eyes.
Tight-Lipped Disgust
During times where Snape would have very well preferred to do something, but had his hands tied, were the moments where he was described to have had his mouth pursed and a look of loathing in his features to convey his disgust.
Funnily enough, most of the scenes in the film series seemed to feature Snape with this expression on his face. These were so many that they’ve sparked their own memes, meaning Alan had this tight-lipped character trait down to a tee. It was shown in times where Snape seemed vicious as well, as his disgust at Barty Crouch Jr. made this mannerism the most striking.
Walking Posture That Looks Like Gliding
The trademark of Snape was his ability to look like he was hovering inches off the ground rather than walking on it, and Harry had particular disdain for Snape’s unexplained talent for appearing behind him without being alerted to his presence.
Alan Rickman managed to make this mannerism come true by adding a slouch to Snape’s movements, which had the effect of making his robes billow next to him, thereby hiding his feet and completing the gliding effect. This kind of finesse was something even Rowling wouldn’t have been able to retcon, and it has to be the best and most accurate Snape mannerism that Rickman pulled off in sublime fashion.