Alan Rickman dies aged 69 

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Alan Rickman, Harry Potter and Die Hard actor, dies aged 69

Media captionFilm critic Jason Solomons: "He had a gift for being sneeringly withering"

Actor Alan Rickman, known for films including Harry Potter, Die Hard, Truly Madly Deeply and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, has died at the age of 69.

The star was suffering from cancer, his family said.

He became one of Britain\'s best-loved acting stars thanks to roles including Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films and Hans Gruber in Die Hard.

He also won a Bafta Award for playing the Sheriff of Nottingham in 1991\'s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

A family statement said: "The actor and director Alan Rickman has died from cancer at the age of 69. He was surrounded by family and friends."

Image caption Alan Rickman was Professor Snape in the Harry Potter franchise

Harry Potter actor James Phelps, who played Fred Weasley, said on Twitter he was "shocked and sad" to hear the news. He wrote: "One of the nicest actors I\'ve ever met. Thoughts and prayers with his family at this time."

TV star and Bafta ceremony host Stephen Fry wrote: "What desperately sad news about Alan Rickman. A man of such talent, wicked charm and stunning screen and stage presence. He\'ll be sorely missed."

Rickman was best known for playing screen villains - also including the role of Judge Turpin opposite Johnny Depp in 2007\'s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

But he showed his gentler side in films like 1990\'s Truly Madly Deeply, 1995\'s Sense and Sensibility and Love Actually in 2003.

He earned Bafta nominations for his roles in Truly Madly Deeply, in which he played Juliet Stevenson\'s ghost lover, and for playing Colonel Brandon alongside Kate Winslet in Sense and Sensibility.

He got another Bafta nomination for portraying the calculating Eamon de Valera in 1996\'s Michael Collins.

The following year, he won a Golden Globe for best actor in a miniseries or television film for the title role in Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny.

What are your memories of Alan Rickman? Have you met him? You can share your experiences and tributes by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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