7 enjoyable info about Alan Rickman’s iconic position in ‘Die Hard’

Alan Rickman was recognized and beloved as a movie star, most well-known for his over-the-top villainous Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, his semi-villainous Snape within the Harry Potter collection, his arguably villainous husband to Emma Thompson’s character in Love Actually, and different roles that highlighted his ability to set an audience on edge. But we would not know Alan Rickman because the movie icon he was with out his first characteristic movie position because the insatiably villainous Hans Gruber within the unique Die Hard.

Prior to being solid in Die Hard, Rickman had primarily acted on stage, racking up theater credit and accolades by way of the Seventies and ’80s. He added some British tv and radio performances to his resume as nicely, however his Hollywood debut did not come till he was 41 years outdated and the position of Hans Gruber got here knocking. His efficiency within the movie would catapult him to fame, and he really earned it. Here are seven enjoyable info about Rickman in that position that made him an prompt and enduring icon.

– YouTube www.youtube.com

1. He virtually turned down the position

Rickman had simply completed a theater run in New York in 1987 when he went to Los Angeles to find out about a potential movie position. “I didn’t know anything about LA. I didn’t know anything about the film business,” Rickman shared at a Bafta celebration honoring his work. “I went to meet some casting directors. I went to meet some producers. And I think it was two days after I got there, I was offered Die Hard. I’d never made a film before, but I was extremely cheap.” The classically trained actor said that after seeing the script he thought, “What the hell is this? I’m not doing an action movie.”

However, his agent and others instructed him that being supplied a movie position that rapidly was virtually unparalleled and inspired him to take it.

Alan Rickman Cast GIF Giphy

2. He changed the character’s wardrobe

Originally, the script had Hans Gruber wearing terrorist tactical gear, not the classy, tailored suits that we see him wearing in the film. “I used to be being fitted for all this terrorist gear within the early days of placing of the movie collectively, and I mentioned, why would I be carrying this when I’ve acquired all these big hulks who’re going to do all of the soiled work?” Rickman explained. He left a note for producer Joel Silver suggesting the character wear a suit instead, which was initially met with a “You’ll put on what you are instructed.” But when he came back to set, the script had been changed to reflect his suggestion.

3. Pretending to be one of the hostages was his idea

There’s a scene in Die Hard where Gruber puts on an American accent and pretends to be one of the hostages. Bruce Willis’ character hadn’t seen Gruber, he’d only heard his voice, so Gruber was able to fool him by acting like a hostage when confronted. That idea was part of Rickman’s reasoning for wanting to wear a suit instead of terrorist gear, and Silver ended up adding it to the script.

– YouTube www.youtube.com

He nearly injured himself out of the role on the first shoot

The pretending to be a hostage scene was the very first shot Rickman filmed, and he hurt himself on the first take.

“I assumed I had ripped a ligament on the very first shot,” he told Empire in 2015. “Turned out I’d torn a cartilage, however I knew sufficient to go downstairs and see the physician. I mentioned, ‘I believe I heard one thing crack in my knee.’ I used to be leaping down from a small ledge. He mentioned, ‘You might have torn a ligament. If you could have, you’re out of motion for six months.’ I hadn’t even shot a scene! I used to be nonetheless in my costume, and I mentioned, ‘Could you pull the trouser leg down over that splint factor?’ I went again as much as the thirty third flooring and carried on capturing. But the physician mentioned, ‘Don’t put any weight on that leg!'”

Rickman worried he was out of a job, but the next day a fluid test revealed it was just cartilage, not a ligament, so he was able to continue shooting.

He was so good on first takes the director had to be better prepared

Rickman told Empire that he hadn’t ever planned to have a career in film and didn’t really know what he was doing when he started filming Die Hard.

“All I knew was that I may solely take my theatre expertise to the job,” he said. “And John McTiernan (the director) mentioned pretty early on, ‘I’ve discovered with you I’ve gotta be prepared for the primary take.’ I didn’t know what take two, three, 4 and 5 and 6 have been all about. We’ve simply performed it! But in fact, he hadn’t acquired his lights proper or he hadn’t acquired his digital camera strikes proper, or no matter. I knew nothing about any of that.”

– YouTube www.youtube.com

The stunt coordinator tricked him to get a genuine look of panic in the final fall scene

Gruber’s slow-motion fall to his death from the skyscraper was the last scene Rickman filmed, and there’s a bit of lore that goes along with how it was filmed. Rickman did the stunt himself on a soundstage, being dropped from a height of 40 feet onto a crash pad. Rickman was attached to a rope held by a team who would release him on the count of three. However, the stunt coordinator, Charlie Picerni, reportedly told the stunt guys, “Let him go on one.”

Rickman has said he did not keep in mind the countdown, however he did say the producers have been “barely incredulous” when he said he would do the stunt himself.

He appreciated how ‘witty’ and ‘revolutionary’ the Die Hard script was

As much as Rickman initially scoffed at making his film debut in an action movie, he praised the quality and longevity of the script in his interview with Empire in 2015. “As time has borne out, that script wasn’t silly,” he said. “Stupider movies have been made attempting to be it since. It’s genuinely witty and each black character is robust in it.”

“Not to get a sledgehammer out to it, but every single black character in that film is positive and highly intelligent,” he mentioned, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “So, 28 years ago, that’s actually quite revolutionary and quietly so.”

As beloved as Rickman was as a film villain, those that labored with him spoke extremely of his sweetness and kindness in actual life. We can all be grateful he agreed to take the position in Die Hard, because it enabled us to take pleasure in a few years of his iconic performances on the large display screen.