The Harry Potter film franchise almost had a completely different actor play the role of Severus Snape before Alan Rickman was cast in the role for the entire eight-film series
The Harry Potter film series almost saw a different face for the iconic Severus Snape, leaving fans stunned for the second time lately.
This also follows some sad news for the franchise, after one of the star’s sadly died last month. Alan Rickman, known for his roles in Die Hard and Michael Collins, ultimately won the part and was author J. K. Rowling’s top pick to bring the brooding professor to life. However, it’s now come to light that another esteemed British actor was considered for the role, stirring up quite the buzz among fans who reckon he would have “crushed it”.
However, this isn’t the only star who was pipped to the post with the role of Luna Lovegood also nearly going to Hollywood actress Saoirse Ronan.
Going back to Snape, a recent revelation on the r/TodayILearned subreddit has got Potterheads talking: “Today I learned that Tim Roth was offered the role of Snape before Alan Rickman. Do you think he could’ve pulled it off?”
While opinions are divided, with some unable to envision anyone but Rickman as Snape, others believe Tim Roth, famed for Reservoir Dogs and Meantime, could have delivered a younger and potentially more book-accurate version of the character. One fan expressed confidence in Roth’s abilities, saying, “Tim Roth is a fantastic actor and I have no doubt he would have crushed it as Snape.”
Another acknowledged Rickman’s unforgettable performance, commenting, “There is no doubt that the late Alan Rickman did a fabulous job, seriously I can’t imagine any other person portraying Snape, but Tim Roth was several years younger than the late Alan Rickman, who would have been more accurate to the original character.”
A third fan chimed in with their take on the casting what-ifs of the Harry Potter series, saying: “Yes, I think Tim Roth would’ve been a great Snape. Not better than Rickman’s, his portrayal of Snape was immaculate, but different and still great”, reports the Mirror.
They added: “Roth has done other roles with Snape’s dark and gloomy disposition, and he’s closer to book Snape in both age and appearance, so he’d have that going for him.”
However, some Potterheads reckon Rickman nailed it as Snape, suggesting Roth might have slotted into another role in the wizarding world. While David Thewlis won praise for his “fantastic” turn as Remus Lupin, some fans reckon Roth could’ve been a shoo-in for the werewolf professor.
One fan suggested: “I love Tim Roth, but I would have actually cast him as Lupin over Snape.” They continued, expressing dissatisfaction with the original casting: “I didn’t like the actor they used as Lupin at all. I can see that he would do a great job as Snape, but I would rather see him as Lupin just because I don’t think that role was done justice. Man, he’s too old for any of that generation at this point, so can’t hope for the new show.”
Another fan weighed in, praising Thewlis’s portrayal of Lupin: “Oh man. I really like David Thewlis as Lupin. I think he brings a softness that Roth doesn’t really have but Lupin needs. Roth is great at hard edges and intimidation. His Snape probably would have been closer to book Snape in my opinion.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
