Alan Rickman on the greatest piece of advice he received from Cate Blanchett: “That was very true”
Few actors are instantly recognisable by the sound of their voice, simply captivating audiences by uttering single sound or word. From Morgan Freeman to Christopher Walken, there are many who fit this category, but perhaps Alan Rickman was the reigning king of the vocal realm.
Rickman was one of those rare actors who seemed completely detached from his fame and legacy, with a sense of humility that made him one of the most generous and gracious performers. After rising to fame through his work on the stage, the actor was shortly nominated for a prestigious Tony Award, gaining recognition through his involvement in the Broadway run of Les Liaisons dangereuses.
But while blockbuster work feels highly contradictory to the independent projects he is known for, the actor reached audiences far and wide through his infamous portrayal of Severus Snape, the greasy and brooding professor who became known for his tortured presence and strained relationship with one particular student.
Fame seemed to fling all the actors in the franchise to staggering new heights, with no character too small and marking everyone involved with the kind of notoriety that lasts a lifetime. But for Rickman, it sent his career spinning into new directions, expressing surprise at this kind of reknown and the unexpected success that came from a project he never predicted he would star in.
As a result, Rickman came to be one of the most well-known members of British acting royalty, with the actor thought of as at the top of his game and somebody who must be completely creatively fulfilled. However, he dispelled this rumour before his tragic passing, sharing a unique philosophy on fame that he discovered through Cate Blanchett.
Blanchett has reached similarly dizzying heights throughout her time in the limelight, with breathtaking roles in everything from The Lord of the Rings and Tár to Carol and Manifesto. But when you continually hit the Hollywood jackpot, it can be hard to keep going when everyone thinks you’ve done it all and have to keep outdoing yourself.
But she forged her own way of viewing success that helped her keep going, with Rickman describing how he took a leaf from her book. When asked if he had ‘made it’, he responded, “No, because there are always people hanging around with a machete. Anytime you think you’ve made it, somebody’ll lop you off at the ankles. Cate Blanchett said something once that was very true. She said that the horizon was always shifting, but that it’s a good thing. A good sensation of never having quite arrived.”
This might just be one of the healthiest philosophies on success that I have heard. While some struggle to move on after booking a pivotal role, feeling as though they have peaked and nothing will come close to it, this approach teaches us that there is no one final goal—the benchmark evolves as we do, and it is a lifelong pursuit of success that never reaches its summit, nor is it supposed to.
