With reporting by Josh Horowitz.

Alan Rickman might be known for playing nefarious villains and all around jerkfaces like Hans Gruber, the Sheriff of Nottingham, and Severus Snape (listen, I don't care what Harry named his kids, Snape is a butt). But when it comes to movie directing, his approach is way, way more humble.

Speaking to MTV News about his new movie "A Little Chaos," in which Kate Winslet plays a fictional landscaper tasked with designing part of the Versailles palace gardens (Rickman himself plays King Louis XIV), he said that the biggest lesson he learned in working with other directors is that the best ones "weren't afraid to be vulnerable."

"You have to acquire a mixture of nerve and will and idiocy or something, to put yourself in that position," he said, noting that it can be tough for directors who feel like they have to have all the answers.

Of course, the other trick is to surround yourself with industry experts who know exactly what it is they're doing. "A lot of the questions are answered if you have solid enough preproduction," he added.

So it's sort of like potions, then -- all about the ingredients you put into it, right?

"A Little Chaos" is in select theaters today, June 26.