As Severus Snape, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Harry, Hans and Doctor Lazarus, Alan Rickman left a lasting impression with each and every person he came in contact with. He possessed the ability to mold himself into whatever role he was presented with, and it was for that reason that he captured so many hearts.

I was first introduced to Rickman in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, where he graced the screen with long, greasy hair, a furrowed brow and dramatic black robes that swept the floor. He portrayed the all-gray Professor Severus Snape – you were constantly torn between loving him and hating him. Rickman carried an unusual voice that emphasized every action of his character, a trait that shaped Snape as much as Rickman did.

Among the things that made Rickman and his character so great is the interactions that he had with the cast. This is emphasized in the numerous tributes Rickman received from people like J.K. Rowling, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and James and Oliver Phelps. Each was filled with memories of laughing and newfound sorrow. Radcliffe posted an emotional message to Google+ praising Rickman for his unwavering support, no matter if it was onscreen or off.

There is no way to fully express not just the meaning that Rickman himself carried but the meaning that Harry Potter as a whole carried. Rickman never played just Snape the same way that Harry Potter was never just a book series. Each character depicts the best and worst parts of ourselves – for Snape, we saw loyalty and a love that never died. We carried his heartache at the same time that we carried ours. We saw the dark and the light sides at the same time that we saw the same thing in ourselves. This is why “the great Snape debate” is so important – we go through the same thing with ourselves. From the first time Rickman stepped onto the screen to the last, he made sure we saw both sides – he made sure we knew what was truly important.

Throughout Hollywood and across film sets around the world, those who worked with Rickman understood the hard work he put into the character.