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Kevin Smith shares Alan Rickman's iconic response to having his acting corrected in 'Dogma'

Just when we thought we couldn't miss him more.

Fandom.com, Gage skidmore/Wikipedia

When fans become friends.

In celebration for the upcoming 25th anniversary of his heretical cult classic Dogma, director and writer Kevin Smith recalled what it was like working with the late great Alan Rickman, who played Metatron—the sardonic, winged messenger of God. Which, if you haven’t seen it, please do. Rickman is every bit as iconic in this as he is in Harry Potter or Die Hard.

Speaking of Die Hard, this brings us to our first fun anecdote Smith shared while appearing on The Rich Eisen Show. Eisen first asked Smith if at any point while filming Dogma, did he start “fanboying” over Rickman because of his legendary portrayal of Hans Gruber.

Smith immediately said yes, and added that Rickman was apparently a fan boy of Jason Mews (the Jay of Jay & Silent Bob), and even regaled him as an “American icon,” and “the best that America can be.”

dogma, dogma screening, dogma 25th anniversary, kevin smith, alan rickman, alan rickma dogma, rich eisen Alan Rickman as Metatron 'Dogma' media4.giphy.com

“Still to this day, if I try to correct him on something, [Mews]’ll be like, ‘which one of us is the American icon?” Smith quipped.

But the real funny bit is what happened during the one and only time Smith had to correct Rickman on a line reading.

At one point in the movie, Metatron says “Wax on, wax off,” which many of us might instantly recognize as a reference to Karate Kid. Rickman, who had not seen Karate Kid, did not, and originally delivered the line with Shakespearean gusto. So Smith went over to him, explained the reference and gave him a line reading (“which actors hate”).

“He turned to me…and he goes…’Royally trained, Kevin,’” Smith said, giggling.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Honestly, can’t you just see Rickman delivering the line that way? Is there a way we can all witness that greatness?!

Smith would also share that the miraculous casting of Rickman happened “by accident.” Thinking him too serious of an actor to do his comedy, Smith never reached out. But word got out that Rickman loved Chasing Amy (one of Kevin Smith’s most highly acclaimed projects) and so he was sent the Dogma script. It was an immediate yes.

On Facebook and Instagram, Smith even shared the deal memo sent to Rickman, which showed that he was paid scale, aka “the minimum wage of the movie biz.”

“So that means Alan blessed us with his perfect performance for way below what he was worth (and way less than he’d make as Snape in the @harrypotter flicks he’d do later),” Smith wrote.

While they started off as creative admirers, Dogma would cement a genuine, lasting friendship between Smith and Rickman. While speaking with GQ, Smith said, "We became friends, like that was something I never understood until late in his life. Honestly, until he passed away. I always just thought that he was just being polite because we made Dogma together and stuff. But he was genuinely interested in me and my family."

By the way you haven’t had the chance to see Rickman do his thing in this movie on the big screen, you’re in luck! Throughout September, DOGMA will be showing in theaters across the U.S., along with exclusive Q&A content, via Iconic Events Releasing.

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Emma Thompson reveals the detail that made her big 'Love Actually' scene so heartbreaking

Thompson beautifully explained the layers that make the scene so iconic.

STUDIOCANAL/YouTube
Emma Thompson's bedroom scene in "Love Actually" is a performance for the ages.

The 2003 film Love Actually is probably best known for its controversial-ish cue card scene, where Andrew Lincoln's character professes his love for a Keira Knightley by silently showing her cue cards, including the famous (or infamous) line, "To me, you are perfect."

But there's another scene in the film that doesn't get nearly the recognition it deserves. It's well-regarded, but not nearly well-regarded enough.

It's been over 20 years since Alan Rickman broke Emma Thompson's heart by buying that little office tart a necklace in Love Actually, and some of us still haven't forgiven him.

With its overlapping love stories set during Christmastime, the film has become a holiday classic, despite some controversy on whether or not it's actually any good. Some people love it, some people hate it, but no one can deny that Thompson gives an Oscar-worthy performance in one utterly heart-wrecking scene.

emma thompson, alan rickman, love actually, film, hollywood, movies, acting, drama, hugh grant, andrew lincoln, keira knightley At Christmas, you tell the truth. Giphy

Of the eight "Love Actually" relationships, Harry and Karen (Rickman and Thompson, respectively) is the one that gives the film some serious gravitas. While other characters are pining or shooting their shot with varying levels of success, Harry is pulling a mid-life crisis affair with a modelesque coworker while Karen shuffles their children to and fro and keeps Harry's life running smoothly. We see him lie, we see her start to suspect, but the scene where she opens her Christmas present from Harry—a Joni Mitchell CD, not the necklace she had found hidden in his coat and thought was for her—is when we see Thompson's acting strengths in full view.

Like, phew.

What's so striking about the scene, however, is that it's not dramatic in a typical way. There's no external conflict happening—it's just Thompson excusing herself from the family to emotionally process what she's just discovered in secret. We see and feel her heartbreak—it's so visceral—but that's not what makes the scene so powerful. Heartbreak happens all the time in movies.

As Thompson explains in an interview with BBC Radio 1, it's the fact that she can't actually react the way she wants to that pulls at people's heartstrings so hard.

"I think it's just because everybody's been through something like it," Thompson says. "What I think really gets to them though is that she has to pull herself together. It's not that she's upset. That's, you know, ten a penny. But it's that she has to pull herself together."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

It's true. The conflict in the scene is between her wanting to break down and her wanting to keep her family's Christmas memories happy and intact. She is a devastated wife, but she's also a devoted mother who doesn't want to devastate her kids. We feel the tension between those two roles and the way she swallows up her grief in order to get her kids to their holiday concert right after finding out her marriage isn't what she thought it was.

When you think about it, it's incredibly poignant. And though not everyone loves the film, it's moments like this one that have helped it stand the test of time and stay on many people's holiday watch-list.

"I think it’s to do with the fact that we’re required in our lives to repress the things that we’re feeling," Thompson explained on TODAY. "So, you can be hit right between the eyes with some terrible piece of news, but you can’t react immediately because you’ve got your children there. It’s that thing of not showing — that’s why it hurts. That’s why it moves us."

Emma Thompson, love actually, acting, performance, emotional Emma Thompson nailed this scene. Giphy

"If she went, 'Oh my God! I thought you were going to give me a necklace! And now you've given it to somebody else,' we would not be moved, you know?" she continued. "We're moved because she just goes, 'I'm not gonna do it.' And then she makes the bed, the bed that sort of suddenly feels so empty of meaning. And then she goes down and goes, 'Hello, everyone! Let's go.' That's why people identify."

And the way she plays it is perfect. Any actor can cry, but it's her crying while trying not to cry and how she shows us her inner emotional turmoil without her ever saying a single word that's impressive.

If you've never seen "Love Actually" and want to see the Harry and Karen story, here are just their scenes.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Some people have asked whether Harry actually physically cheated or not, but "Love Actually" script editor Emma Freud clarified that he did. "DEFINITELY had an affair," she wrote on X in 2015. "I begged richard just to make it a flirtation, but no. the whole way."

And did Harry and Karen stay together in the end? The film doesn't really make it clear, but at the screening Freud answered the question: “They stay together but home isn’t as happy as it once was.” Oof. There's just no non-heartbreaking answer to that question.

emma thompson, alan rickman, love actually, film, hollywood, movies, acting, drama, hugh grant, andrew lincoln, keira knightley No matter how you play it out, there's no Hollywood ending for Emma Thompson's character. Giphy

This is why we watch films, though, isn't it? To see our humanity reflected back to us? To feel what the characters feel? To have our hearts broken vicariously so we can have a good cry without going through the actual pain ourselves?

People usually watch romcoms for the romance and comedy and happy endings, though. So here's to Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman for giving us one of the most poignant scenes in cinema in one of the most unexpected places.

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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After 18 years and thousands of rejections, aspiring actor reveals what keeps him going

“If the door hasn’t opened yet, it’s not because I’m unworthy."

@Prasad/Youtube

An actor talks about remaining hopeful even after rejection.

We all face failure and rejection in our lives, but few face it as frequently as actors. So in some ways, few are as well equipped to give impactful advice for maintaining resilience in the face of obstacles. Perhaps that goes especially for the actors who have yet to make that “big break,” and somehow still find the strength to go after their dreams day in and day out.

Forty-year-old Himanshu Prasad is one of those actors. In a recent video posted to Youtube (that's honestly equal parts moving and a little bit unhinged) Prasad shared the exorbitant number of jobs across multiple casting sites that he has submitted or auditioned for over the past 18 years or pursuing an acting career.

acting, failure, rejection, resilience, inspirational, motivation, inspirational videos, actors access A still from Prasad's acting reel www.imdb.com

The total so far? 61,481 submissions. 4,014 auditions. And nadda. A few independent projects here and there—which is certainly nothing to scoff at, but still nothing that’s moved the needle.

And yet, Prasad remains unfazed.

“If the door hasn’t opened yet, it is not because I’m unworthy. It's because the room isn’t ready,” he says in the clip, adding “this is what it costs to believe when no one else does, to show up when no one is calling, to be forgotten, and still not quit, to be invisible, and still fight like you matter.”

And just what keeps him going? Not the hope of fame, but the idea of “pleasing God” by doing what he loves. You don’t have to be religious to appreciate the simplicity of that—to know that what you are doing is the "right" thing because it lights you up, and knowing that the world needs people who are lit up.

“Success isn’t a red carpet,” he told Upworthy. Rather, it’s continuing your craft in the absence of praise. To me, success means becoming the kind of person who keeps going when no one’s watching, hiring, or applauding. It is to have created impact in the lives of millions, one heart at a time. And one day, I still believe one role, one door, could change everything.”

- YouTube www.youtube.com

That's why you'll still find him training every day with a work ethic similar to that of some of his idols: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. As Prasad told Upworthy, he described these two as "renaissance men from different worlds” who “showed unusual and unreasonable grit.”

In a society that tells us that me must have external validation to *gestures wildly* exist, it can be easy for any of us to forget our inherent worthiness or value. That goes for those of us pursuing grand ambitions, or not. But the more we can anchor ourselves in purpose, passion, or even curiosity, the easier it is to remain optimistic. Not just about our careers, but about our lives in general.

On that note, Prasad has a bit of advice for anyone facing a few setbacks:

"Rejection is not the opposite of success, it’s the training ground for it. Every 'no' is a rep in the gym of your character. If it breaks you, it wasn’t yours. If it builds you, you’re getting closer. Don’t wait for approval to become who you are.You don’t need the world to say 'yes' before you start acting like you belong. The real question isn’t how many times you’re rejected: It’s how many times you’re willing to rise without applause.Keep going. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel. One day, it’s going to be your day."

Maybe we won’t all create videos like Prasad, but here’s something to be said about finding our own individual ways to declare ourselves worthy, even if the doors don’t seem to be opening up.

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Man passionately explains the meaning of staircases in movies and now people can't unsee it

Once you hear this explanation, you start seeing it everywhere.

AlbaProductions/YouTube

The staircase scene in "The Princess Diaries 2" is a good example of how stairs are used in film.

Moviemaking magic is part art and part science, and most of us don't fully know how the cinematic sausage gets made. Many people enjoy watching "behind the scenes" and "making of" videos to get a glimpse of what we don't see on camera, but even those don't give us all the ins and outs of how filmmakers create a great movie experience.

Perhaps that's why a video from a woman showing her screenwriter husband geeking out over a very specific element of filmmaking has gone viral. Or, maybe it's because we all love to see people passionately explain something they know about. Either way, his explanation of how staircases are purposefully used to drive the plot and reveal information about characters in movies has people engrossed.

katharine hepburn, entrance, staircase, scene, film Staircases are used strategically in films. Giphy

In the video, the couple is watching The Princess Diaries 2 when the husband pauses the movie and asks his wife, "Have I told you about staircases in film and what they represent in film?" She giggles—clearly this is not an unusual occurrence—and says, "No." He puts down the remote (apparently so he can use both of his hands to talk) and starts in on the lesson.

"A staircase, almost every time in film, is used to visually represent a power dynamic," he says. "A person who is in charge of a situation will be higher up on the steps than a person who is not in charge of the situation."

@leniethamer

Today’s lesson: staircases 😂 maybe one day we will finish the movie lol but I do love the fun facts. #movie #movienerd #geek #princessdiaries #screenwriter #moviereview #disney #disneyplus #annehathaway #chrispine #couplegoals #behindthescenes

He explains that the people higher on the staircase are in command of the scene—they're the ones giving the demands and the orders—and the people lower on the staircase are listening and responding.

"Every single time, without fail, if there is a staircase in a film and someone is walking up it, talking to someone below, they are giving them a command or they are taking control of the scene," he says.

Then he picks the remote up again and proceeds to walk his wife through the scene where Anne Hathaway's character and Chris Pine's character are talking back and forth up a double staircase. As they move up and down the steps, the dynamic of their conversation changes. She starts higher up on the stairs than him, then he moves up to challenge her. She moves over to the other staircase, and for a while they talk at the same level from their respective staircase. You can see the characters fighting for control, visually on equal footing up the stairs, so the audience remains in suspense as to who will come out on top.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

It was a simple scene analysis, but the video got over 2.5 million views and people loved it:

"People like your husband are the best people to hang out with. I love a sudden, passionate rant about things I've never considered."

"I can’t believe the internet is free. I just got a film education."

"This is why English and media literacy should be classes offered regularly in school and should not be laughed at when people take those classes."

"I loved EVERY second of this."

Many commenters started pointing out examples of this principle in popular films as well. Once you know it, you start seeing it everywhere.

mean girls, regina george, staircase, power, dynamics Regina George watching the chaos from the top of the stairs in "Mean Girls" Giphy

"Me thinking about Regina George on top of the stairs watching the chaos."

"The daughters from Devil Wears Prada when Andy is delivering the book!"

"Crazy Rich Asians has a cool stair case scene when she visits the house for the first time!"

"Just like the Umbridge and McGonagall scene on the hogwarts stairs when they’re arguing. 🥲"

"Everyone else: McGonagall vs Umbridge Me: "PIVOT!!!! PIVOT!!!!""

friends, moving, pivot, ross gellar, scenes, film and television The famous "PIVOT!" scene from "Friends" Giphy

"HARRY POTTER LIVING IN THE ROOM BELOW THE STEPS AND NEVER HAVING A SAY IN THE HOUSE 😩 OMG WAIT"

Experts sharing their niche knowledge, especially when it comes to things we all enjoy, is one of the greatest things to come from social media. Clearly this is the kind of content people want. Thankfully, we have people like this screenwriter husband to give it to us.

You can follow @leniethamer on TikTok for more of her husband's movie analysis moments.

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