Alan Rickman honoured by Google for iconic performance in Les Liaisons Dangereuses

British acting legend Alan Rickman, who died in 2016 at the age of 69 following a battle with cancer, has been celebrated with a Google Doodle on the 36th anniversary of his leading theatre performance as anti-hero Le Vicomte de Valmont in the play Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

Rickman, popular for playing potions master Severus Snape in the fantasy magical universe of Harry Potter among other roles, had opened his Broadway performance as anti-hero Le Vicomte de Valmont in a production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses on April 30 1987.

Helene Leroux, who drew the Google Doodle to pay homage to the actor, said it was a "privilege to honour" Rickman’s life and career in the image.

The Broadway presentation opened vistas of opportunities for the actor in the entertainment industry. Besides his most famous character of Professor Snape in the screen adaptation of JK Rowling’s books, Rickman played key roles such as Hans Gruber in Die Hard and won a Bafta Award for playing the Sheriff of Nottingham in 1991’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

The star was also known for playing screen villains, including the role of Judge Turpin opposite Johnny Depp in 2007s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.