British author J.K. Rowling, who penned the famed "Harry Potter" series, revealed that she told late actor Rickman a heartbreaking secret that would help the actor better understand Severus Snape. Rickman said that this piece of knowledge would help him better empathize with the brooding professor's "complex" character. This knowledge would also play a pivotal role in the later part of the series.

In a report with People Magazine, Rowling revealed in a tweet that she told Alan Rickman the secret behind the word, "Always." The actor passed away at the age of 69 after battling cancer. Fans asked the author what the secret she told Rickman was, and it turns out that the secret was not as "tiny" as Rowling said it was.

Fans of the "Harry Potter" series know that "Always" stands for Snape's enduring love for Harry Potter's mother Lily, who was killed by Voldemort.

According to the report with the celebrity magazine, Rickman would admit back in 2011 that this little piece of information was crucial to him when he played the role of Severus Snape. He said that it helped shape his performance, and helped him understand the complex relationship Snape and Harry had.

Rickman also admitted that the "Harry Potter" series wasn't straightforward, and the characters were all complex. Nobody had any idea where the story was going, except for Rowling herself.

He told HitFix that it was important that he knew something about Snape, other than him cutting an intimidating figure in his black robes. When Rowling gave him that tiny bit of information, he said that he knew that there was more to Snape than what met the eye.

Alan Rickman said that he knew Snape was not an "automaton," but a human being. Rickman also said that he realized that Snape would feel a sense of protection for Harry, thanks to that information given by J.K. Rowling.

Snape's tragic back story was known only to a few people outside of Rowling herself, and would only be revealed in the later part of the series. Snape's secret motivation was only told in the seventh book and in the eighth movie. This was a cryptic piece of information that was revealed to Rickman, and he said that he kept it a secret, even from the directors and producers.  

When Rowling heard of Rickman's passing last Thursday, she said that she was devastated.

"He was a magnificent actor & wonderful man," she tweeted.