Composer Michael Kamen said that. In 1988 he saw the rough cut of Die Hard, with missing shots and missing or incomplete special effects, and honestly at first he was most impressed with Rickman, who'd given a career-defining performance.
Soon after, Rickman and Kamen met, and became fast friends. Kamen got to know the good guy -- by all accounts, Alan Rickman was a real-life good guy -- and the day in early 1996 that I got to do a phone interview with Kamen, he said "the wife and I are making dinner tonight for Bryan Adams and the Sheriff of Nottingham." I hope he smiled while saying that.
Hell of a career and a hell of a life, Alan Rickman. Die Hard was his first film -- HIS FIRST, at 42 -- after he'd established himself on stage. (Now I'm jealous of people who got to see him on stage.) He was iconic again and again, whether villainous, funny, or heart-breaking. Or the heavy-lifting he did in films like Galaxy Quest. Seriously, that's an amazing performance
Condolences to those who knew the good guy behind all that. And, once again, cancer sucks.
Rest in peace, Alan Rickman. We miss you.