Actor Paapa Essiedu has opened up about the intense backlash he faced after being cast as Professor Severus Snape in HBO’s upcoming adaptation of Harry Potter, revealing that the criticism escalated into disturbing death threats.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Essiedu spoke candidly about the toll such messages have taken on him. “I’ve been told, ‘Quit or I’ll murder you’,” he said, adding that threats often surface on social media. “If I look at Instagram, I will see somebody saying, ‘I’m going to come to your house and kill you.’” While he added that he doesn’t believe the threats will be carried out, the actor admitted, “I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally… nobody should have to encounter this for doing their job.”
Despite the hostility, Essiedu said the experience has only strengthened his resolve to reinterpret the iconic role, previously immortalised by Alan Rickman. “The abuse fuels me,” he shared. “It makes me more passionate about making this character my own.” Reflecting on his childhood connection to the wizarding world, he added that representation matters deeply: “The idea that a kid like me can see themselves represented in that world? That’s motivation… not to be intimidated by someone saying they’d rather I died instead of doing work I’m going to be really proud of.”
Interestingly, Essiedu also revealed that while he grew up reading JK Rowling’s books, he has not watched the original film adaptations starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.
The controversy stems partly from fan reactions to his casting as Snape, a character long associated with Rickman’s portrayal. The HBO series, however, has been positioned as a fresh take on the beloved books, with the studio describing it as a “faithful adaptation” that will explore the wizarding world in greater depth.
As reported earlier, Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout, and Arabella Stanton have been attached to star in it as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, respectively. The ensemble cast includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, alongside Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.
Set to premiere on HBO Max in 2027, Harry Potter aims to reintroduce the story to a new generation while expanding on the world that has captivated audiences for decades.
