While Spall is known for his roles in films like *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* (as Peter Pettigrew) and *The King's Speech*, he revealed in interviews that he was very disappointed to miss out on the Snape role. He believed he could have brought a different dimension to the character and even practiced Snape's famous "Always" line in the mirror for weeks.
Other actors reportedly considered for the role include:
* Kenneth Branaugh
* Gary Oldman
* Tilda Swinton (a somewhat surprising choice, given the character's gender!)
* John Hurt
Ultimately, Alan Rickman's iconic portrayal of Snape cemented his place in cinematic history, but it's always interesting to ponder what other actors might have brought to the role.