Harry Potter TV series actor Paapa Essiedu has spoken out about the racist abuse he’s suffered since being cast as Hogwarts professor Severus Snape.
Essiedu, who is English of Ghanian descent, was announced as taking on the key role of Snape back in April 2025. The news sparked widespread discussion of the actor’s choice for the role, which was previously played by Alan Rickman in the original Harry Potter movies.
Now, Essiedu has commented on the racial element to that backlash, and in an interview with The Times said he’d “been told, ‘Quit, or I’ll murder you.'”
“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,'” Essiedu said. “While I hope I’ll be okay, nobody should have to encounter this for doing their job. 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 abuse fuels me,” he continued, “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.”
Alongside the abuse, Essiedu noted that he had also received messages of support. Last year, Harry Potter film star Jason Isaacs hit out at “rude” and “racist” criticism of Essiedu, who he described as “one of the best actors I’ve ever seen in my life.” Isaacs added: “They will be swallowing their tongues, hopefully — you know, their digital tongues — when they see what [Paapa] does on screen.”
Discussion of Essiedu’s casting has ranged from complaints that the actor does not fit the physical appearance of Snape in the original books — a claim previously lodged against the Black casting of Hermione in the hugely-successful Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage show — and the suggestion that Snape being Black changes the dynamic of his story, particularly him being bullied as a schoolchild by Harry’s father and friends, and his unrequited love for Harry’s mother.
But while some have said the casting is too much of a departure, others have suggested the move will bring elements of Snape’s story into sharper focus, making for a stronger story overall.
Essiedu’s casting also sparked headlines after the actor was one of many signatories to an open letter expressing support for the trans community, following a recent UK Supreme Court ruling on the country’s Equality Act. Asked whether Essiedu’s support meant that outspoken gender rights critic JK Rowing would have him fired, the author replied that she didn’t “believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.”
HBO’s new Harry Potter TV series is expected to debut in early 2027 with an eight-episode first season. Filming began last summer, with various glimpses spotted by fans including work on fresh scenes not from the prior movies or books. Indeed, last month we learned the surprising news that we’ll be seeing more of Draco Malfoy’s home life, as the show won’t be told from “over Harry’s shoulder” like the books or movies.
As for other big changes, the show plans feature John Lithgow’s Dumbledore meeting Nicolas Flamel, reintroduce History of Magic lessons with Richard Durden as Professor Binns, while Lucius Malfoy, Draco’s father played by Johnny Flynn, is expected to join the story in the first season of the show, before his introduction in the books and movies. A recent major set leak gave fans a detailed look at the new Diagon Alley.
Image credit: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
