In a poignant revelation a decade after his passing, it has emerged that Dame Emma Thompson went to great lengths to comfort her close friend and former co-star Alan Rickman during his final days. The beloved actor's widow, Rima Horton, has shared intimate details of his battle with pancreatic cancer and the touching efforts friends made to say goodbye.
A Salon in the Hospital: Thompson's Touching Tribute
Rima Horton, 78, who was married to Rickman from 2012 until his death in January 2016, told The Sunday Times that Emma Thompson was a regular and thoughtful visitor. The 66-year-old actress, who played Rickman's on-screen wife in the 2003 festive blockbuster Love Actually, transformed his clinical hospital space into a more homely environment.
"She was creating a salon around him while he was in bed," Horton explained. Thompson brought in a standing lamp and soft throws to ensure the room "didn't feel like a hospital room," aiming to make her dear friend feel "more at home" during his treatment.
Rickman's Private Battle and Final Wishes
The couple made a conscious decision to keep Rickman's diagnosis private, initially sharing the news only with family. "Alan didn't want people to look at him and say: 'Oh, how sad'," Horton revealed. She admitted she avoided researching the disease online, stating, "I didn't want to know, but we knew what it meant."
Despite the grim prognosis, Rickman maintained control over his final chapter. Horton said, "I think he wanted to say goodbye to his friends and have it under his control." This extended to meticulously planning his own funeral to ensure it wasn't "a mess."
A Funeral Curated with Care and 'Uptown Funk'
In line with his wishes, the late actor designed every aspect of his send-off with theatre director Ian Rickson overseeing the arrangements. The service was held at the Actors' Church in London's Covent Garden on 3 February 2016.
Rickman's eclectic and personal music choices for mourners included:
- Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson's 'Uptown Funk'
- 'Take It with Me' by Tom Waits
- The service concluded with everyone singing 'The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore'
Horton shared that her husband's primary request was to not die in pain, a wish that was fulfilled. Alan Rickman passed away peacefully at 9:15 am on 14 January 2016, at the age of 69, with his wife by his side. "He just went," she said, offering a quiet testament to his dignified departure.
