World News for Students of English

18-01-2016 07:00

Actor and director Alan Rickman has passed away, aged 69. The star known for his epic performances, like strict potions master Professor Snape in the “Harry Potter series,” the sweet-singing but also slightly scary judge in “Sweeney Todd,” the would-be cheating husband in “Love Actually” or Bruce Willis’s enemy Hans in “Die Hard,” just to name a few.

Rickman’s family confirmed the actor died of cancer and was surrounded by friends and family at the time.

Although best known for his portrayal of baddies, Alan was also an accomplished theatre director, directing the award-winning play “My Name is Rachel Corrie” in 2005.

Tributes have been flooding in for the BAFTA, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor who said he could never quite reveal which of his many projects was his favourite.

“The thing is, when people ask you about films, you remember the film a bit, but you really remember where you were and the friends you made and what bit of the planet you were on and so the name of a film has a complicated set of memories to me, and I wouldn’t want to be disloyal to anybody.”

“Best person you’ve met then; you must have met a few.”

“I’m not falling for that one!”

Difficult words: pass away (to die), strict (harsh, authoritarian, not nice), confirm (to say something is true), baddie (a bad person in a film/book), tribute (something that respects someone).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com