British actor Alan Rickman has died of cancer at the age of 69. This news comes in the wake of David Bowie’s tragic death on January 10, also to cancer and at the age of 69.

Alan Rickman notably played the villainous role of Hans Gruber in the 1988 film, Die Hard, as well as the role of the Sheriff of Nottingham in the 1991 film, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves; however, to an entire generation of filmgoers, Rickman will forever be remembered for his role as Severus Snape, the complicated anti-hero with the deep voice in the Harry Potter series.

“When I found out, I was heartbroken because he was such a big part of Harry Potter,” said Lara Bookholt, a fan of the Harry Potter series.

Jeton Hida, also a Harry Potter fan, commented on Rickman’s passing stating, “I grew up watching the Harry Potter series. At the start of the series, I was not a big Snape fan, but by the last film, he grew on me as a character. Now that Rickman is gone, it’s like a part of my childhood has washed away.”