AceShowbiz -

Alan Rickman has passed away in London surrounded by family and friends. The British actor known for his role as Professor Severus Snape in "Harry Potter" movie series lost his battle with cancer. He was 69. His brother David, 71, said, "He passed away this morning. He was in a hospital at the time."

J.K. Rowling, the "Harry Potter" author, sent condolence on Twitter, "There are no words to express how shocked and devastated I am to hear of Alan Rickman's death. He was a magnificent actor & a wonderful man. My thoughts are with Rima and the rest of Alan's family. We have all lost a great talent. They have lost part of their hearts."

Alan Rickman started his acting career with theatre groups. He once worked on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company and got a Tony nomination for his role as a male lead, the Vicomte de Valmont, in the production of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses". He later branched out into Hollywood, playing villainous roles in "Die Hard", "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves", and "Sweeney Todd" among others. He won Best Supporting Actor at BAFTAs for his role in "Robin Hood".

Despite his health struggle, the actor remained busy until last year. He directed a period drama called "A Little Chaos" and played King Louis XIV opposite Kate Winslet. He starred in thriller "Eye in the Sky" led by Helen Mirren as well. He also voices Absolem the Caterpillar in "Alice Through the Looking Glass" which is due May 27 in the U.S.

Last year, Rickman announced that he had secretly married Rima Horton. They first met when they were teenagers and tied the knot in New York City in 2012.