On Jan. 14, British actor Alan Rickman died at 69 years old. He died in London surrounded by friends and family after a battle with cancer. He has appeared in many films such as “Die Hard,” “Truly Madly Deeply,” “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” and “Love Actually.” He is most well-known for his role in the infamous Harry Potter series where he played Severus Snape, the potions and defense against the dark arts professor. His controversial role as both the enemy and ally of protagonist Harry Potter made him unforgettable and beloved by millions. He has also been a filmmaker and earned two Tony award nominations.

After hearing of his untimely death, Harry Potter author JK Rowling tweeted, “There are no words to express how shocked and devastated I am to hear of Alan Rickman’s death. He was a magnificent actor and a wonderful man.”

The producer of the Harry Potter films, David Heyman, told The Los Angeles Times of how valuable Rickman was.

“He had a real understanding of the character, and now looking back, you can see there was always more going on there—a look, an expression, a sentiment—that hint at what is to come,” Heyman said. “The shadow that he casts in these films is a huge one, and the emotion he conveys is immeasurable.”

Both those who knew him personally and those who knew him from his movies are deeply mournful for the loss of such a brilliant actor. Many do not expect to ever see a man as uniquely talented as he was in their lifetime, and he will truly be missed.