Didn't you say that we would lose money after filming?

Speaking of this character, Xia Yuanyuan called him the most charming, charismatic, heartbreaking, and regrettable character in the entire film series, with the biggest plot twist.

none of them!

Xia Yuan was immediately captivated by this character.

He is the absolute core character in the Harry Potter film series.

He is the youngest headmaster in the history of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the youngest headmaster in the history of Slytherin House, a professor of Potions, a professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, and a recipient of the Order of Merlin, Second Class.

His personality is unfathomable. Compared to Slytherin, the house he graduated from, he is harsh and cruel to the other three houses. He is a spy sent by the Order of the Phoenix to the Death Eaters, and in his youth, he was also a spy sent by Voldemort to Hogwarts.

Born on January 9, 1960, he is of mixed wizard and Muggle descent (his mother, Erin Prince, was a witch).

He had an unhappy family and was unpopular as a child, so he developed a fondness for Lily Evans, who showed him affection, but he was also passionate about black magic.

His beloved Lily broke off her relationship with him and left him to join the arms of his mortal enemy, the one who had been bullying and oppressing him.

Snape then resolved to pledge allegiance to Voldemort and overheard a prophecy that the child who would destroy Voldemort would be born that July. After Voldemort identified the child as Harry, Lily's son and of Voldemort's blood, Snape proactively defected, contacted Dumbledore, and willingly became an undercover agent.

Sixteen years later, after Voldemort was resurrected, he returned to Voldemort's side as an undercover agent on Dumbledore's orders. Later, in order to carry out the plan that Dumbledore had discussed with him to deceive Voldemort, he reluctantly killed Dumbledore.

After Dumbledore's death, Voldemort and his forces gradually seized control of the wizarding world. Starting in September 1997, Snape was appointed headmaster of Hogwarts, during which time he did his best to protect students from the Death Eaters.

Even as the Battle of Hogwarts was nearing victory, he was suspected by Voldemort over the ownership of the Elder Wand and was killed by Voldemort's snake Nagini. Throughout his life, he willingly endured the misunderstandings of others and saved Harry multiple times while implementing Dumbledore's plan.

He was tall and slender, with straight hair, cold and deep eyes, a sallow complexion, sometimes pale or sallow, a large hooked nose, and the mark of a Dark Death Eater on his left arm, though not always clearly visible. He wore a black robe and cloak.

Just like a walking bat.

He was devoted, gloomy, ruthless, indifferent, mean, and unfathomable.

From the very first impression, everyone's impression of him is, "Damn, this person is absolutely rotten to the core!"

He must have released the troll! He must be the Dark Lord's traitor!

He hates Harry!
He wanted to kill Harry.

Then the audience will come to hate him.

To be honest, even Xia Yuan himself started to dislike the character when he watched it.

In other words, as a seasoned director, Xia Yuan knew very well that the story writers would never leave behind such a superficial so-called bad character to attract people's attention.

Moreover, people who are outwardly bad are the ones who need the least worry.

No bad person will tell you directly that they are bad.

In fact it is.

How should we evaluate the character of Snape?
It's like this: the deeper the hatred in the early stages, the more regret there will be in the later stages.

With a single twist, he became the epitome of loyalty and righteousness. From his time at Hogwarts, he was cruelly and publicly humiliated and bullied by the "Raiders" quartet led by James Potter and Sirius Black, due to his personality, Slytherin affiliation, and interest in the Dark Arts, including incidents such as being hung upside down by a bell.

This left him with deep psychological trauma, and was a major reason why he hated James and took his anger out on Harry.

These memories are shown in the film through Harry's perspective, revealing his vulnerable and wounded side.

Lily was the only light and warmth in his gloomy childhood and adolescence.

He loved her deeply, but because of his inferiority complex, his obsession with dark magic, his bloodline beliefs, and his anger and careless words after being humiliated by James and others, he directly called her a "Mudblood," thus losing her friendship and love forever.

Even more cruelly, the prophecy he inadvertently revealed to Voldemort directly led to Lily's death.

This became the root of his lifelong regret and pain. The scene in the movie where he holds Lily's body and cries, despite being Harry's imagination/perception, and the revelation that his Patronus is a doe, is extremely impactful.

Lily's death devastated him. Everything he did for the rest of his life—protecting Harry, fighting Voldemort, and enduring the hatred of others—was driven by profound self-reproach and a desire for atonement. He lived in endless regret for the past, never truly forgiving himself. This heavy psychological burden is heartbreaking.

He carried out the most dangerous missions and endured the deepest misunderstandings. The entire wizarding world saw him as a traitor and a coward. He could not confide in anyone (except Dumbledore), including Harry, whom he secretly protected.

He always wore a mask of coldness and aloofness, yet his heart was filled with torment. This absolute loneliness and the fact that he sacrificed for love in a way that went unnoticed by others is the greatest tragedy.

On the other hand, he must protect the son of his rival (James), who has Lily's eyes and James's appearance.

Every time he sees Harry, it's like a painful reminder: a reminder of his lost love, a reminder of his hated rival, and a reminder of his own guilt.

His way of protecting Harry (cold, harsh, and difficult) stemmed from his awkward personality and was also a form of self-protection, to avoid losing control of his emotions when faced with those eyes that resembled Lily's.

This kind of inner conflict and struggle can directly pierce the audience's inner world.

He was ultimately killed by Voldemort, but before dying, he asked Harry to look into his eyes (Lily's eyes) and handed over crucial memories. Until his last breath, he fulfilled his duty to protect Harry. After his death, Harry learned the full truth about his sacrifice through the Pensieve.

This belated understanding, coupled with the fact that he never received the recognition and solace he deserved throughout his life, adds to the tragic nature of the character. The dialogue between "After all this time?" and "Always" is one of the most tear-jerking moments in the entire film, fully expressing his lifelong dedication and deep affection.

Yes, the phrase "Always" defined his entire life.

So the moment Xia Yuan saw the role, he had already made his decision.

In any case, the actor for this role has already been decided.

There was no one else but him.

Yes, he decided to play such a challenging role himself.

Of course, Jiajia's role has also been decided.

That's Hermione.

There's no one more suitable than Hermione. (End of Chapter)