Skip to content

MuggleNet

  • Site
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • History
    • Meet the Team
    • MuggleNet Live!
    • Press
    • Publications
    • Special Projects
    • Volunteer with Us!
    • Year in Review
  • Podcasts
    • Alohomora!
    • Full Circle
    • LITHAPPENS
    • Potterversity
    • Promptly Potter
    • SpeakBeasty
  • Harry Potter
    • Book Quotes
    • Book Series
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Film Series
    • Hogwarts Library
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • Fantastic Beasts
    • Book
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Fantastic Beasts Film Quotes
    • Film Series
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • The Quibbler
    • Owl Post
    • Bathilda’s Notebook
    • The Department of MYTHteries
    • The Dirigible Plum
    • Into the Floo
    • Muggle Studies
    • The Pensieve Papers
    • The Three Broomsticks
    • April Fools’
    • The Quibbler Vault
  • The Daily Prophet
    • Book Trolley
    • Editorials
    • Event Reports
    • Exclusive Interviews
    • Features
    • Giveaways
    • Listicles
    • Merchandise Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • Television Reviews
    • Theater Reviews
    • Wizolympics
  • Muggle World
    • Charity
    • Exhibitions
    • J.K. Rowling
    • MinaLima
    • Quadball
    • Studio Tours
    • Theatrical Play
    • Theme Parks
    • Wizarding World Digital
  • Fans & Fun
    • Crazy Caption Contest
    • Fan Focus
    • Fandom
    • Fandom Sortings
    • Fandom Timeline
    • Fun Lists
    • Games and Trivia
    • GNOMEs
    • Potter DIY
    • Potter Weddings
    • #PotterItForward
    • Rosmerta’s Recipes
    • Song Parodies
    • Wizard Rock
    • Wizarding Wordle
  • Site
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • History
    • Meet the Team
    • MuggleNet Live!
    • Press
    • Publications
    • Special Projects
    • Volunteer with Us!
    • Year in Review
  • Podcasts
    • Alohomora!
    • Full Circle
    • LITHAPPENS
    • Potterversity
    • Promptly Potter
    • SpeakBeasty
  • Harry Potter
    • Book Quotes
    • Book Series
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Film Series
    • Hogwarts Library
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • Fantastic Beasts
    • Book
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Fantastic Beasts Film Quotes
    • Film Series
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • The Quibbler
    • Owl Post
    • Bathilda’s Notebook
    • The Department of MYTHteries
    • The Dirigible Plum
    • Into the Floo
    • Muggle Studies
    • The Pensieve Papers
    • The Three Broomsticks
    • April Fools’
    • The Quibbler Vault
  • The Daily Prophet
    • Book Trolley
    • Editorials
    • Event Reports
    • Exclusive Interviews
    • Features
    • Giveaways
    • Listicles
    • Merchandise Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • Television Reviews
    • Theater Reviews
    • Wizolympics
  • Muggle World
    • Charity
    • Exhibitions
    • J.K. Rowling
    • MinaLima
    • Quadball
    • Studio Tours
    • Theatrical Play
    • Theme Parks
    • Wizarding World Digital
  • Fans & Fun
    • Crazy Caption Contest
    • Fan Focus
    • Fandom
    • Fandom Sortings
    • Fandom Timeline
    • Fun Lists
    • Games and Trivia
    • GNOMEs
    • Potter DIY
    • Potter Weddings
    • #PotterItForward
    • Rosmerta’s Recipes
    • Song Parodies
    • Wizard Rock
    • Wizarding Wordle
  • News

NY Times interviews Alan Rickman; discusses his unique voice and “Potter”

by Keith Hawk · January 9, 2012

The New York Times Arts & Leisure Weekend sat down with actor Alan Rickman to discuss acting and his distinctly famous voice, along with his thoughts on Harry Potter and his Broadway show Seminar.

On Alan’s now famous voicing style, he shared how it had been a problem for him in drama school:

“They said I had a very lazy diction, that I had a spastic soft palate…my voice teacher said, ‘You sound as if your voice is coming out of the back end of a drainpipe.’ So that’s how cruel drama school is. It means, I suppose, basically, that I had to learn to bring it all forward. It was kind of traveling backward.”

In speaking about Harry Potter:

“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.”

And 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.”

You can read the rest of the interview right here.

Social:

  • Next story Tom Felton provides voiceover for the Digital Guide on the “WB Studio Tour”
  • Previous story Video: Dan Radcliffe and cast discuss the making of “The Woman in Black”

MuggleNet Archive

Important Dates

July 2025

Sun, Jul 20

Jeff Rawle's birthday
Recurs yearly

Amos Diggory

Stephenie McMillan's birthday (Set decorator - RIP)
Recurs yearly

Set decorator – RIP

Mon, Jul 21

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book
Recurs yearly

2007

Tue, Jul 22

Rhys Ifans's birthday
Recurs yearly

Xenophilius Lovegood

Wed, Jul 23

Daniel Radcliffe's birthday
Recurs yearly

Harry Potter

Nicholas Hooper's birthday (Composer)
Recurs yearly

Composer

Thu, Jul 24

Letters from Hogwarts begin to arrive at number four, Privet Drive
Recurs yearly

1991

MuggleNet podcasts are sponsored in part by Secretlab.

Thanks to its research-backed ergonomic design, including a proprietary 4-way adaptive lumbar support system, the Secretlab TITAN Evo Harry Potter Edition will comfortably support you even when you’re up to no good.

Did You Know

“Pensieve” is made up of two words: French for “to think” (“penser”) and an English synonym of “strainer” (“sieve”). A Pensieve strains your thoughts!

Potter History

April 10, 2005 – The Goblet of Fire running time was estimated at 150 minutes, as reported by IMDb.

Potter Quote

“What are Fred and I, next-door neighbors?”

MuggleNet is an unofficial Harry Potter fansite.
Please email us if you have any questions or concerns.
© 1999–2025 MuggleNet.com. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | COPPA Policy | Terms of Use | Feedback


MuggleNet is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and Bookshop.org's affiliate program, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and bookshop.org.