Alan Rickman made wickedness delicious. Rickman, who died of cancer on Thursday aged 69, went on to become one of the great Hollywood villains of the last 30 years. With his rich, languid voice and subtly expressive face, Rickman could invest evil with irresistible relish. His performances helped elevate films including Die Hard and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves to the status of cult classics. Comedian Ruby Wax told the BBC "Nobody plays irony like Alan Rickman."