Harry Potter series star Paapa Essiedu says the wave of racist abuse he has received since being cast as Professor Severus Snape has escalated into explicit death threats—but he’s using the hostility as fuel rather than reason to walk away, according to a new interview cited by VARIETY. In a conversation with The Sunday Times of London, Essiedu recalled some of the most chilling messages he has seen since his casting was announced for the upcoming HBO Max adaptation of Harry Potter, which will reimagine J.K. Rowling’s book series with a new ensemble cast, as reported by VARIETY.
“I’ve been told, ‘Quit or I’ll murder you,’” Essiedu said of the threats, noting that social media has become a direct pipeline for harassment, per VARIETY. “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 added, “I’m playing wizard in Harry Potter. And I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally,” he told the outlet, as summarized by VARIETY.
Essiedu, whose previous work includes I May Destroy You and Black Mirror, is stepping into role made iconic on film by Alan Rickman, a point that has intensified scrutiny from some corners of the fandom, according to VARIETY. While toxic backlash has targeted both his performance and his identity, Essiedu said the vitriol has only strengthened his resolve to make Snape his own. “But the abuse fuels me,” he explained. “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 said in the interview, as relayed by VARIETY.
The new Harry Potter series is slated to debut on HBO Max in 2027 with a largely fresh cast, including Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, per VARIETY. Essiedu told The Sunday Times that he has signed on for decade-long commitment to the franchise and is fully aware of how dramatically it could reshape his life. “I’ll be 45 by the time I finish,” he said. “And I know my life is going to change in a big way, but I have to just surrender to that. I could have children by the end of this,” he reflected, in comments highlighted by VARIETY.
For Essiedu, who grew up devouring the Harry Potter novels in his local library, the chance to step into the wizarding world he once escaped into as a child is too meaningful to abandon in the face of hate, according to VARIETY. He shared that his mother would take him to the library during school holidays because she couldn’t afford babysitter, and the books became a lifeline. While he never watched the original films, the actor said the story’s sense of escapism stayed with him—and now, as he prepares to play one of its most complicated figures, he’s focused on the possibility that a new generation of viewers will see themselves in his version of Snape, as detailed by VARIETY.