Beloved British actor Alan Rickman was mourned by millions after he died from cancer on Thursday, but one of the most heartfelt tributes came from director Kevin Smith.
Rickman, who lost his battle with cancer at age 69, starred in Smith’s 1999 comedy “Dogma” as Metatron, a.k.a. the Voice of God, garbed in a scruffy grey hoodie and angel wings.
“One of my favorite people who ever lived has died,” Smith wrote in a Facebook tribute. “Alan was the first non-friend who signed up to the flick, but he became a great friend in record time.”
The “Clerks” and “Mallrats” creator posted a photo of Rickman holding up “the Ken doll his Dogma character’s lack of genitalia was modeled after.”
“I’ll never forget his incredible dulcet tones guffawing at the rubber crotch makeup he was wearing: one of the greatest actors who ever lived, tickled by a cinematic lack of a dick,” Smith said.
“Dogma,” which sparked attention due to its irreverent treatment of Catholicism, also starred Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock and Jason Lee.
Smith also praised the former Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts student and Royal Shakespeare Company actor’s other famous film roles, including in “Die Hard” and the “Harry Potter” franchise.
“I loved Hans Gruber the minute I saw #DieHard but I fell in love with the soft-spoken gentle soul who brought Gruber to life. Thank you for lending a hack like me your artistry and your credibility, Alan. You were never Snape to me as much as you were the adult Harry Potter himself: a bonafide wizard who could conjure absolute magic using merely words,” he wrote.
“He was a HUGE cauldron of win, this man. I’ll miss him forever. Rest in Peace, Voice of God. Back to Heaven, where you came from …”
Earlier on Thursday, “Harry Potter” stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, along with author J.K. Rowling remembered their Hogwarts colleague in touching Twitter tributes.
See Smith’s full Facebook post — and that genitalia-less Ken doll photo — below.
One of my favorite people who ever lived has died. The legendary #AlanRickman played Metatron, the Voice of God, in my... Posted by Kevin Smith on Thursday, January 14, 2016