Paapa Essiedu Gets Death Threats Over Snape Casting
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- Paapa Essiedu told The Sunday Times he has received race-fuelled death threats since being cast as Snape, including one message reading 'Quit or I'll murder you,' after his casting sparked backlash from 'toxic fans' of the Alan Rickman original.
- Essiedu said the abuse 'fuels' him and makes him 'more passionate about making this character my own,' framing the role as representation for kids who 'can see themselves' at Hogwarts.
- The actor, known for 'Black Mirror' and 'I May Destroy You,' admitted he never watched the original Harry Potter films starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, but was an avid reader of J.K. Rowling's books as a child, escaping to the library when his mother couldn't afford a babysitter.
- The new series is set to launch on HBO Max in 2027 with an almost entirely new cast: Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley.
- Essiedu has signed on for a 10-year commitment, telling the paper he'll be 45 by the time he finishes — and could have children by the end of the run.
Why it matters: Replacing Alan Rickman — a beloved white icon — with a Black British actor has made Essiedu the target of a sustained harassment campaign that he's now choosing to publicize. With a 10-year contract running through 2027 and beyond, the backlash is baked into the series' entire lifespan, not a passing controversy.
