--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Alan Rickman was such a terrific actor…" description: "\"Alan Rickman was such a terrific actor, and that was such a terrific character that he played. And it was a joy to be with him. We used to laugh togeth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/maggie-smith-8377_actors_alan-rickman-was-such-a-terrific-actor-a_1725020.jpg" --- # Alan Rickman was such a terrific actor, and that was such… ![“Alan Rickman was such a terrific actor, and that was such a terrific character that he played. And it was a joy to be with him. We used to laugh together because we ran out of reaction shots. They were always - when everything had been done and the children were finished, they would turn the…” quote by Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/maggie-smith-8377_actors_alan-rickman-was-such-a-terrific-actor-a_1725020.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/maggie-smith-8377_actors_alan-rickman-was-such-a-terrific-actor-a_1725020.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/maggie-smith-8377_actors_alan-rickman-was-such-a-terrific-actor-a_1725020.jpg) > “Alan Rickman was such a terrific actor, and that was such a terrific character that he played. And it was a joy to be with him. We used to laugh together because we ran out of reaction shots. They were always - when everything had been done and the children were finished, they would turn the camera around and we'd have to do various reaction shots of amazement or sadness and things. We used to say we'd got to about number 200-and-something and we'd run out of knowing what to do when the camera came around on us. But he was a joy.” [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Alan Rickman's performance brought joy and spontaneity, making even technical challenges enjoyable **In simple terms:** Rickman's talent made work fun despite technical hurdles Key Takeaway Appreciate collaborators who bring joy to work Themes collaboration joy acting set dynamics Mood grateful enthusiastic Type anecdotal celebratory When to use this quote - film production - theatre rehearsals - on‑set challenges - team morale Key Concepts improvisation professionalism creativity Questions to Reflect On - How does a joyful colleague affect your performance? - What strategies help maintain creativity under constraints? A Different Perspective Even great actors can face logistical limits like running out of reaction shots ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Terrific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-terrific-1375098/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Amazement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazement/) [Cameras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cameras/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Knowing what to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-what-to-do/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Ran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ran/) [Reaction Shots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reaction-shots-1375099/) [Reactions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reactions/) [Rickman Terrific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rickman-terrific-1375097/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Shots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shots/) [Terrific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrific/) [Terrific Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrific-actor-775223/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/various/) ## Related quotes > [ I think he \[Leonardo DiCaprio\] is a terrific actor. And I've - I've been rooting and voting for him since "Gilbert Grape." I thought… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/i-think-he-leonardo-dicaprio-is-a-terrific-actor-and-i-ve-i-ve-been/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [There are some guys I know for a fact, like Louis C.K., who always talk about how not-great of an actor he is, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/there-are-some-guys-i-know-for-a-fact-like-louis-c-k-who-always-talk/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [Actors I admire? Ed Harris, or course, I think he's terrific; because I know he always had to fight being what he looked like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/actors-i-admire-ed-harris-or-course-i-think-he-s-terrific-because-i/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [Boman Irani is a wonderful human being and a terrific actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paresh-rawal/boman-irani-is-a-wonderful-human-being-and-a-terrific-actor/) [Paresh Rawal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paresh-rawal/) > [Whenever I mention Greg Kinnear's name to anyone, they always say, "Oh, love him!" He's a really terrific actor, and very funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-otto/whenever-i-mention-greg-kinnear-s-name-to-anyone-they-always-say-oh/) [Miranda Otto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-otto/) > [The best-kept secret about Don Johnson is the fact that he is a terrific actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mann/the-best-kept-secret-about-don-johnson-is-the-fact-that-he-is-a/) [Michael Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mann/) > [Eventually we realize that not knowing what to do is just as real and just as useful as knowing what to do. Not knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-whyte/eventually-we-realize-that-not-knowing-what-to-do-is-just-as-real-and/) [David Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-whyte/) > [Leadership is knowing what to do next, knowing why that's important, and knowing how to bring the appropriate resources to bear on the need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobb-biehl/leadership-is-knowing-what-to-do-next-knowing-why-that-s-important/) [Bobb Biehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobb-biehl/) > [Look at the earth crowded with growth, new and old bursting from their strong roots hidden in the silent, live ground, each seed according…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-carr/look-at-the-earth-crowded-with-growth-new-and-old-bursting-from-their/) [Emily Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-carr/) > [The whole value of the dime is in knowing what to do with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-whole-value-of-the-dime-is-in-knowing-what-to-do-with-it/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Spiritual maturity is not knowing what to do with your whole life, but just knowing what to do next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/spiritual-maturity-is-not-knowing-what-to-do-with-your-whole-life-but/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Learning is really about translating knowing what to do into doing what we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-miller/learning-is-really-about-translating-knowing-what-to-do-into-doing/) [John G. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-miller/) > [We'd decided to write a book about two friends. I gave her some coffee and then we sat there not knowing what to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-mcghee/we-d-decided-to-write-a-book-about-two-friends-i-gave-her-some-coffee/) [Alison McGhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-mcghee/) > [When I went through a really intense break-up - you know, I was engaged - the thing that gave me the most anxiety was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-i-went-through-a-really-intense-break-up-you-know-i-was-engaged/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [We all start not knowing what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mckevitt/we-all-start-not-knowing-what-to-do/) [Anne McKevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mckevitt/) ## More by Maggie Smith > [If someone is going to talk about the process of making a film, it should be the director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/if-someone-is-going-to-talk-about-the-process-of-making-a-film-it/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [There were male colleges, and there were very few female colleges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/there-were-male-colleges-and-there-were-very-few-female-colleges/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [Try not to cry too much because it can be pretty heart-breaking and pretty hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/try-not-to-cry-too-much-because-it-can-be-pretty-heart-breaking-and/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [There's a difference between solitude and loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/there-s-a-difference-between-solitude-and-loneliness/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [I know there is something out there and like most people, I tend to believe in it more when things go bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/i-know-there-is-something-out-there-and-like-most-people-i-tend-to/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [When you get into the granny era, you're lucky to get anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/when-you-get-into-the-granny-era-you-re-lucky-to-get-anything/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [Sort of what you do in drama school when asked to play something way out of your reach. Anyway, we used to laugh a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/sort-of-what-you-do-in-drama-school-when-asked-to-play-something-way/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [I think lots of actors are very nervous and shy. I know lots of them who are, and some who aren't of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/i-think-lots-of-actors-are-very-nervous-and-shy-i-know-lots-of-them/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [Little girls, I am in the business of putting old heads on young shoulders, and all my pupils are the crème de la crème.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/little-girls-i-am-in-the-business-of-putting-old-heads-on-young/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [The drama school was in Oxford - and it's funny to think of it, but in those days when I started out the University…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/the-drama-school-was-in-oxford-and-it-s-funny-to-think-of-it-but-in/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [“Life is short, though I keep this from my children. Life is short, and I’ve shortened mine in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/life-is-short-though-i-keep-this-from-my-children-life-is-short-and-i/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [Chris and Toby are far too sane to be upset any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/chris-and-toby-are-far-too-sane-to-be-upset-any-more/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [We can't escape the shadow, so the best thing we can do is notice the light and be open to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/we-can-t-escape-the-shadow-so-the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-notice-the/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [I find it very difficult to do anything on my own now because people recognize me. This has never happened to me before because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/i-find-it-very-difficult-to-do-anything-on-my-own-now-because-people/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) > [I just did adore Daniel - Daniel Radcliffe, who I had worked with before "Harry Potter" and spent a long time telling all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-smith/i-just-did-adore-daniel-daniel-radcliffe-who-i-had-worked-with-before/) [Maggie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) [Explore all 81 Maggie Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-smith/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Alan Rickman was such a terrific actor, and that was such a terrific character that he played. And it was a joy to be with him. We used to laugh together because we ran out of reaction shots. They were always - when everything had been done and the children were finished, they would turn the camera around and we'd have to do various reaction shots of amazement or sadness and things. We used to say we'd got to about number 200-and-something and we'd run out of knowing what to do when the camera came around on us. 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