The cult 1980s TV show that almost starred Alan Rickman

The cult 1980s TV show Red Dwarf nearly cast Alan Rickman in a leading role, a near-miss that would have reshaped both his and the show's legacy. Co-created by Doug Naylor and Rob Grant, the space-set comedy follows a ship’s slob of a technician, a cantankerous robot, a hologram and a half-cat, half-human companion, and the BBC rejected the concept three times before producers John Lloyd and Paul Jackson showed interest under conditions about casting from Oxbridge. Rickman and Alfred Molina liked the script, and although Rickman’s theatre pedigree did not guarantee the TV role, the choice would prove pivotal for both parties. Rickman, then a Royal Shakespeare Company veteran, would become globally known later as Hans Gruber in Die Hard (1988), a performance that helped launch Bruce Willis into A-list status and earned the film four Oscar nominations. After Die Hard, he played the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), a film that grossed about $400 million worldwide and earned Rickman a Bafta for Best Supporting Actor. Red Dwarf endured as a cult staple for about 32 years across formats, while Rickman’s later film success cemented his reputation as cinema’s memorable villain.