Real-life resilience - Alan Rickman

Once a year I watch Die Hard. But I’m not here to debate whether it’s a Christmas movie - we’ll save that for another time. I just love it. It’s one of the all-time great action films in history, a masterclass in character, subtle comedy, and (of course) one of the greatest villains of all time.

Alan Rickman's portrayal of Hans Gruber is so textured and charismatic that we like him, even as we're cheering for John McClane to save the day.

Until this past week, I had no idea that Gruber was Alan Rickman’s very first film role! And he nearly turned it down.

Rickman’s performance has to be one of the greatest movie debuts of all time, which makes it easy to forget that when Die Hard came out, Rickman was 41 years old.

Before Hollywood ever came calling, Alan Rickman built a life as a graphic designer. He was talented and successful, but something inside him kept whispering that there was more. So in his mid-twenties, he did something both brave and terrifying - he let go of the safe, well-travelled road and enrolled in acting school at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Rickman didn’t “make it” right away, either. Early in his training at RADA, his voice teacher gave him a tough critique: “You sound as if your voice is coming out of the back end of a drainpipe.” Rather than being discouraged with a ferocious comment like that, Rickman used the feedback as fuel. He worked tirelessly to improve, eventually developing the distinctive, resonant voice we all know him for - one of the greatest voices in Hollywood history!

After years of work in theater, Rickman finally got a break in London’s West End in a show called Les Liaisons Dangereuses which then went on to play on Broadway in New York.

After the Les Liaisons Dangereuses Broadway run, Hollywood producers saw his potential for film. He went to LA for meetings simply to explore possibilities.

And only two days into his trip, he was offered the role of Hans Gruber in Die Hard.

At first, he was reluctant. An action movie felt abnormal to him, plus he was to be a terrorist? It wasn’t what he had imagined. But Rickman didn’t just accept the part, he reshaped it. He suggested that Hans Gruber wear a suit instead of the clichéd terrorist garb, giving the character a sharper, more unsettling edge. He even proposed one of the film’s most famous moments where he pretended to be an innocent hostage.

The producer initially told him to follow the script, but the next day he was handed a new script with his ideas incorporated.

Even in his debut, he took the opportunity to make something better. And it worked!

The resilience of Rickman’s story.

First, his ability to be coachable. Resilient people can handle feedback and use it to their advantage. Rickman did exactly that and turned his “drainpipe voice” into one of the most iconic voices of Hollywood. We can’t be afraid of feedback - it’s our fuel for growth.

Second, the courage to step into the unknown. Rickman could have stayed safe as a graphic designer. Instead, he chose growth over comfort, even when it meant starting from scratch, even when it meant years of hard work without a guarantee of success.

Our comfort zone is holding us back from pushing new boundaries. It would have been easy for Rickman to turn down Die Hard - it wasn't what he trained for. But he said yes. And not just a half-hearted yes. It was a full, creative, committed yes. How often do we hold ourselves back because the opportunity doesn’t look exactly the way we imagined it?

And finally, perhaps most importantly, he demonstrated the ability to do what we can in the face of adversity.

Here’s another story about him…

Later in his career, Rickman faced a huge challenge. In 2005, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Even as he faced surgery and recovery, he made the decision to keep working on the Harry Potter series. They were preparing for the 5th film of the series and his character was the complex, tormented Severus Snape.

With Rickman continuing on, Snape became one of the most beloved and complex characters in the Harry Potter series. His decision to continue in the role, despite personal health challenges, highlighted his unwavering commitment to his art and the story. This journey is a powerful reminder of the strength found in perseverance and the importance of seeing commitments through, even in the face of adversity.

I think about that a lot. How easy it is to get caught up in the challenges that are thrown at us. Maybe feeling like we’re too late or too early, or that success should look a certain way, or that one setback means it’s time to give up. But life (and business) is never a straight line. That second act (and third, and fourth act) is real.

At any time, we need to be ready. We need to be resilient.

Sometimes, resilience is a quiet decision we make every day:

To keep evolving.
To believe in new paths forward.
To get out of our comfort zone.
To focus on what’s important now.

Wherever we are right now, whatever chapter we’re in, I hope Rickman's story provides encouragement.

Until next time friends, stay resilient.

Carre @ Resilient Minds

PS - If you’re standing at the edge of something new right now, just know: it’s never too late to begin again. I'd love to hear what's next for you if you feel like sharing.