Black actor receives death threats for playing Professor Snape in new 'Harry Potter' movie

New York [US], March 26: Actor Paapa Essiedu, who plays Severus Snape, is currently filming the Harry Potter series in Watford, England, scheduled for release in 2027. HBO's project has garnered significant public attention since the announcement of the new cast portraying the iconic characters from J.K. Rowling's globally bestselling book series. These new faces inevitably face comparisons to the successful film adaptations and even intense opposition from a large segment of the audience. Paapa Essiedu is one of them. He has faced a wave of backlash from many viewers, with some even calling for the removal of the young actor from the series, arguing that he is unsuitable for the iconic role and that HBO is ruining the character of Severus Snape.
Before Essiedu, the role of Professor Snape was successfully portrayed by actor Alan Richman in all eight Harry Potter films (released from 2001 to 2011), becoming an irreplaceable icon for many fans of the series.
In a recent interview with The Sunday Times , Paapa Essiedu shared that many online comments expressed disbelief that a Black man like him could play such a famous character. The 35-year-old actor even received threats such as, "Quit the role or I'll kill you." The young star shared, "The reality is, if I go on Instagram, I see comments like, 'I'll come to your house and kill you.' No one deserves to face this just for doing their job. Many people risk their lives for their work. I played a wizard in Harry Potter , and it would be a lie to say that it didn't affect my life."
However, Paapa Essiedu said that the threats and insults actually motivated him. He clarified: "It further spurred me on to create a unique mark for this character. Because I remembered how I felt as a child, imagining myself at Hogwarts on broomsticks and the thought that a child like me could see myself present in that world. That's what motivated me to not feel pressured or afraid."
Paapa Essiedu has also spoken out in support of transgender rights, and his views on gender contrast with those of Harry Potter 's creator , J.K. Rowling , and he has expressed regret for sharing his own opinions.
Harry Potter is a new television series developed by HBO based on the book series of the same name by author J.K. Rowling. The project has announced a new cast: Dominic McLaughlin (as Harry Potter), Alastair Stout (Ron Weasley), Arabella Stanton (as Hermione Granger), John Lithgow (as Albus Dumbledore), etc. According to several sources, filming for the first season of Harry Potter is expected to last until mid-2026 and will be released in 2027 with 8 episodes. Previously, the franchise was very successful when adapted to the big screen with 8 films released from 2001 to 2011, grossing over $7.7 billion at the box office.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper