Dame Helen Mirren thinks Alan Rickman taught her how to "be a better person".
The Oscar-winning actress was a good friend of the ‘Harry Potter’ star, who passed away in January 2016, and Dame Helen said attending his memorial service was a learning experience.
The 71-year-old star explained: "I’m of an age now that I start going to more memorials.
"My darling friend Alan Rickman died last year; I went to his memorial, great actor. The wonderful Garry Marshall, the most brilliant, incredible American producer of television and movies.
"These were such great people, so when you go to their memorial, it’s so inspiring, and also very fun, because there’s always a lot of very funny stories.
"Of course you feel sad that you’ve lost your beloved friend or colleague, but you also feel so enlightened and joyful and energised about this beautiful life that this person has led."
Dame Helen said she makes a conscious effort to take something positive out of each memorial she attends.
She told the US talkshow ‘The View: "It teaches you. I’m a great believer in learning, life is a constant learning curve, really, so I learn from these people’s lives, and I think you learn how to be a better person.
"You think, ‘Wow, what an amazing life,’ (when you read their obituaries), so you can have an amazing life and in a weird way, death is the thing that reveals the amazingness of that life."
Dame Helen Mirren felt ‘enlightened’ by Alan Rickman’s memorial
