call – and finally I’m on … As it turns out the scene becomes a nightmare of rushed decisions, manipulations, too many looks. It isn’t thought through so time is wasted … Which means that acting is out the window … I end the day feeling humiliated and angry – but I can’t show it.

Truly Madly Deeply - Wikipedia Truly Madly Deeply - Wikipedia

Absolute pillar to post – from the euphoric yesterday [London had just won the 2012 Olympics] to the numbness of today. A bus and three? Four? stations. Hundreds injured and (as of today) 37 killed. Motorbike lesson. 20 minutes to discover clutch control on something that reminds me of a big dangerous horse.Somewhere in here, finally, the deal is done for HP 7 parts one and two, and people are all carefully left in possession of genitalia. Alan was cremated on the morning of 3 February with close friends and family present. The funeral service was held that afternoon in the Actors’ Church in the heart of London’s theatre district. The chosen music was Uptown Funk and Take It with Me by Tom Waits. We finished with everyone singing The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore. Then, in keeping with tradition, the Reverend Richard Syms asked us to give Alan “one last wonderful standing ovation”.

Alan Rickman’s secret showbiz diaries: the late actor on Alan Rickman’s secret showbiz diaries: the late actor on

Car to costume fitting/discussion. Measurements from hell after a month in Italy. Waltz around each other – higher collar? Blue fabric? Thinner arms? And off to Leavesden Studios. Chris Columbus [director], David Heyman [producer], Makeup dept waiting. Wig? Nose? To the Star Lake auditorium [near Pittsburgh] to walk on water. Which all works fine apart from the by now predictable 3am when the camera comes round, and my brain is frying gently. But there’s a vaguely celebratory atmosphere, the lake lit beautifully and as dawn broke we drank some champagne in the makeup trailer and said goodbyes. Kate and I walk through the script. And she really takes the time to examine every loose thought, every wayward word. These are the fine tunings now. And we can’t lose sight of the drive toward story-telling. The guests – Barry Humphries, Terry Gilliam, Helena Kennedy, Ruby & Ed, Ed & Justine Miliband, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jemima Khan, Salman Rushdie. For God’s sake. Exhausting just writing that. But good chats with Justine M. (the pressure of it all) and Ed is upright and still looking forward. An inspiration and still curious about everybody and everything.Cold, wet, draughty but the crew seem miles away so Ralph and I can just get on with inching our way towards the scene. David Y stubborn as ever about V[oldemort] killing me with a spell. (Impossible to comprehend, not least the resultant wrath of the readers.) Great working with Ralph, though. Direct and true and inventive and free. This is our last official day of shooting. Kate is now 16 (?) weeks pregnant and giving everything. By the end of each day she is wiped but still unbelievably focused. In the rain. Tough on all the been-there-for-hours fans. Sign/flash/flash. Line up for Charles & Camilla. He – “Are you still on Harry Potter?” She – “Haven’t seen you for ages.” Then the movie. Absolutely ravishing – strange and deep and complex and beautiful. From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Madly, Deeply : Alan Rickman (author), : 9781838854799 Madly, Deeply : Alan Rickman (author), : 9781838854799

verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Hello to Prunella Scales – detailed, complicated actress and the person is slow to reveal herself, too. Like persuading some petals to open a bit more. There is a great deal of self-containment on this set. Ms Scales, Mike N, The Diva [Georgina Cates], me … Party at the Natural History Museum. The desire to eat and even more get a drink is matched only by the need to bang the three Davids’ heads [Harry Potter producers David Heyman and David Barron, and director David Yates] against the nearest wall. I get the character development and the spiffing effects (dazzling), but where is the story???? Watch S&S in growing dismay. It has been cut to focus only on the women’s journey – the men are mindless. Sad – we should care who they are marrying.

Truly, Madly, Deeply - Rotten Tomatoes Truly, Madly, Deeply - Rotten Tomatoes

And then the morning quietness which means the press is not good. Eventually I hear the tentative messages and get the picture.The trouble with this job is that you can watch yourself & your friends growing older in full colour, close up. Flip a switch to rewind or fast forward. Ruby [Wax], [husband and film/TV producer] Ed [Bye] & kids, Harbour Club. One of [Ruby’s son] Max’s friends is an indication of what’s to come. “Are you Snape?” This show brings together 40 masterpieces in an attempt to dispel the cliché of Rubens as a painter of sex objects