The Alan Rickman quote everyone is sharing is fake

One of Alan Rickman's best-known film roles was as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter franchise Credit: Reuters/Arnd Wiegmann

Film fans around the world are mourning the loss of much-loved actor Alan Rickman.

It's become something of a coping mechanism for people to share quotes and pictures of well-loved stars online after their deaths but one currently doing the rounds is a fake.

In it, Rickman supposedly says he will be reading Harry Potter in his 80th year. His family ask "After all this time?" and he replies "Always".

The quote is fake. Credit: Yui Mok/PA Archive

'After all this time?' and 'Always' are in fact lines of dialogue from a scene between Professor Dumbledore, played by Michael Gambon, and Alan Rickman's character, Severus Snape in the final chapter of the Harry Potter saga.

Fans have been quick to point out the mistake online.

In fact, it appears that quote was a originally a tumblr post by a Potter fan, that ended up somehow being mistakenly attributed to Rickman.

But if you're still looking for a quote from Rickman on his feelings about Harry Potter, this letter from the actor to series author J.K. Rowling in Empire Magazine does seem to be the real deal.