Paapa Essiedu has revealed he’s faced racist death threats after being cast as Professor Severus Snape in HBO‘s upcoming Harry Potty television series.
“I’ve been told, ‘Quit or I’ll murder you,’” the actor told The Times in a profile published Saturday.
Essiedu said after his casting was officially announced in April 2025, he faced backlash for being a Black actor stepping into the role of Snape.
“It really matters. The reality is that if I look at Instagram I will see somebody saying, ‘I’m going to come to your house and kill you.’ So while I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be murdered… That could age badly! But, yes, while I hope I’ll be OK, nobody should have to encounter this for doing their job,” he said. “Many people put their lives on the line in their work. I’m playing a wizard in Harry Potter. And I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally.”
The role of Snape was originated by Alan Rickman in 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. He went on to portray the wizard throughout its eight-film run.
However, the I May Destroy You star added that “the abuse fuels me” and “makes me more passionate about making this character my own, because I think of how I felt as a kid.”
“I would imagine myself at Hogwarts on broomsticks, and the idea that a kid like me can see themselves represented in that world? That’s motivation to not be intimidated by someone saying they’d rather I died instead of doing work I’m going to be really proud of,” he continued.
When asked if he could stay offline to avoid negative discourse, Essiedu noted “even if you successfully ignore it, it doesn’t mean it’s not happening,” continuing, “The issue remains endemic and, anyway, people see stuff and message to ask if I’m OK.”
The Hollywood Reporter previously exclusively reported that the Emmy nominee was being eye to play Snape in December 2024. He joins the cast of the HBO Max series that will see Dominic McLaughlin step into the titular role; Alastair Stout portray Harry’s best friend Ron Weasley; and Arabella Stanton as Harry’s other dear friend Hermione Granger.
Additional cast members include John Lithgow as Dumbledore; Janet McTeer as Professor Minerva McGonagall; Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid; and Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, among many others.
Production on HBO’s Harry Potter series began last July, where it filmed at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, U.K. The plan for the show is to adapt each of J.K. Rowling’s novels into a separate season, meaning there will be eight installments.
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