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How Alan Rickman's Kindness Made A Sick Child's Dream Come True

How Alan Rickman's Kindness Made A Sick Child's Dream Come True

"Why isn't this child in the film?"

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Anonymous

Yesterday marked 20 years since Harry Potter first graced the pages of a published book. Six more books and eight films later, the Hogwarts hero's adventures are more than just stories; the series is a pop culture phenomenon, and J.K. Rowling wasn't the only one responsible for making it what it is today.

The Harry Potter film franchise cast includes some of the most recognised and celebrated actors of our time, and one of our all-time favourites, without a shadow of a doubt, is the late, great Alan Rickman.

Credit: Warner Bros.

But Alan wasn't just a brilliant actor, he apparently had a heart of gold too - of all the Harry Potter anniversary stories echoing round the Internet from cast and crew, throughout yesterday's festivities, there was one in particular that stuck with us.

Alan Rickman - as we're sure you're already aware - was cast as enigmatic Potions master Severus Snape; a role he reprised in each of the eight Harry Potter films. Sadly, Rickman lost his battle with pancreatic cancer and passed away in January 2016, at the age of 69.

One of Rickman's co-workers shared a heart-warming story about how he once made a terminally ill little boy's wish come true.

Producer Paula DuPré Pesmen told HuffPost of Rickman's kindness during a set visit for sick children, while filming The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Credit: Warner Bros.

One of the kids visiting the set was Jay, a child diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma, who was excited to visit the set. "But what he really wanted was to be in the film, not just visiting," DuPré Pesmen added.

"I said, 'Well, we can't really do that, and you're already here.' Alan [Rickman] came over and introduced himself to Jay, and Jay was so happy to meet him. He was really knowledgeable. He was about 15 at the time, and he knew a lot about Alan's other films, and Jay mentioned to Alan that what he really wanted to do was be in the film."

And without the help of any potions, Rickman made it so.

"Alan looked at me, and he kind of went into his Snape-mode in costume, and said, 'Why isn't this child in the film?'" recalled DuPré Pesman.

"Everyone had a good laugh, and Alan took him by the hand and put him into the crowd of kids as they were panning across. The back of him is actually in a shot.

"[Jay] was very happy that Alan did that for him," she told Huffington Post.

The rest of the cast and crew were always singing Rickman's praises, so we're positive it wasn't just a one-off.

Credit: Warner Bros.

In a conversation with Rowling, Daniel Radcliffe described Rickman as "really funny, and self-deprecating and kind of wonderful company."

Oliver Phelps, who played George Weasley, also had nothing but good things to say about the late actor:

"I remember he'd just come back from an award ceremony, and they had given him an iPod, and he wanted to know how to work it.

"I was showing him how to do that, [and] I was sneaking in, 'You know, in this scene I've got coming up here, how would you [do it]?'

"He was brilliant to actually give advice for it, and I was only about a 17-year-old kid at the time, but [Alan] was very to the point with me about it, which was cool," said Phelps.

Sadly, Jay, like Alan, lost his battle with cancer in the end. DuPré Pesmen, however, went on to found There With Care - a charity providing support for families with children facing critical illness.

Words: Paddy Maddison

Featured Image Credit: PA/Warner Bros.

Topics: Harry Potter Books