In an interview with The New York Post, Severus Snape actor Alan Rickman talked about the Harry Potter series, playing the role of Snape, theatre and more. The parts where he discussed Harry Potter may be read below:

Did [Harry Potter author] J.K. Rowling know ahead of time what would happen with your character, Snape?
Yeah, she knew everything. It’s fair to say that she put the ending into a safe. She knew how it would finish.

Did she tip you off?
Before I said I would do [the first film] I said I had to talk to her. We spoke the next day, and she gave me a very small piece of information … that let me know there was more to him than met the eye.

Can you share that with us?
No. I promised her I never would.

Having played the character all those years, did you have emotional or cathartic moments toward the end?
With the last film, it was very cathartic, because you were finally able to see who he was. It was strange, in a way, to play stuff that was so emotional … but satisfying on all sorts of levels. You know, Ray [Fiennes, who played Voldemort] and I had a scene where you just thought, well, finally it’s just a couple of actors talking to each other, with no special effects.

On holding a wand.
Holding a wand is not the most threatening thing. And pointing it at Dame Maggie Smith, who you’ve grown up worshipping from the cheap seats at the National Theatre, and she’s pointing it at you … and she can arch an eyebrow like nobody. Thank god for the sheets of flame.

Did he ever consider not acting in all eight of the movies?
No, I wasn’t going to let anyone else finish him.

Today is also Snape’s birthday, so Happy Birthday to our favorite Potions Master!