When Paapa Essiedu signed on to play Severus Snape in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV adaptation, it should have been a career-defining moment. Instead, it’s come with something far darker. According to the actor, when he took on the role, famously originally brought to the screen by the late great Alan Rickman, he received a wave of online abuse that has crossed into explicit death threats.
In a recently published interview from The Sunday Times, Essiedu describes the backlash as intense, personal, and, at times, genuinely alarming. Essiedu didn’t mince words when describing what he’s been dealing with since his casting was announced. He explained:
I’ve been told, ‘Quit or I’ll murder you.’
It’s incredibly shocking, but unfortunately, it’s not an isolated incident. The controversy surrounding Essiedu’s casting largely stems from a segment of fans who object to a Black actor taking on a character originally portrayed by Rickman in the film series. What might have started as an online debate has, in some cases, escalated into something much more serious.
The Lazarus Project actor explained that the threats are not just abstract comments buried on the internet. They’re direct, frequent and hard to ignore. He continued:
It really matters. 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. 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 Men star isn’t downplaying the situation, but he’s also pointing out how disproportionate it is. He’s taking on a fictional role in a fantasy series, yet facing the kind of threats no one should have to deal with in any profession. And, while he hasn’t reported the threats, he has let them motivate him. He added:
But the abuse fuels me. 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…. But even if you successfully ignore it, it doesn’t mean it’s not happening. The issue remains endemic and, anyway, people see stuff and message to ask if I’m OK.
The horrific threats aside, the I Must Destroy You actor has a pretty solid reason not to escalate the situation and take the threats to the authorities. According to him, it wouldn’t soothe his feelings. He concluded:
No. I don’t think some 17-year-old boy being put in jail for two weeks for threatening to murder me would actually make me feel any better.
Despite everything, Essiedu isn’t backing away from the role. As he has made clear, the backlash has had the opposite effect on him. His response to the violent reaction from a certain corner of the internet is rooted in something more personal. The Black Mirror veteran has spoken about what the Harry Potter movie series meant to him growing up, and how important representation can be for younger audiences.
This isn’t just about one actor or one casting decision, but reflects a broader pattern of online behavior that continues to surface whenever high-profile roles challenge expectations. For now, Paapa Essiedu is moving forward, balancing the weight of the role with the reality of the reaction around it. The series is expected to span multiple seasons, meaning this is just the beginning of his time as Snape, and I, for one, cannot wait to see how he makes the role his own.
The highly anticipated new book-to-screen adaptation of Harry Potter, this time for the small screen and everyone with an HBO Max subscription, is expected to premiere in early 2027.
