Paapa Essiedu reveals death threats after being cast as Snape in HBO’s Harry Potter series

Essiedu is set to step into the role of Snape, a character immortalised by Alan Rickman in the original film franchise.

• Paapa Essiedu got death threats over HBO Snape casting
• Essiedu says abuse fuels his passion to make Snape his own
• HBO's Harry Potter series set to debut in 2027 with star cast

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Actor Paapa Essiedu has revealed that he received death threats following the announcement of his casting as Professor Severus Snape in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series.

Essiedu is set to step into the role of Snape, a character immortalised by Alan Rickman in the original film franchise. Speaking in an interview with The Sunday Times of London, the actor opened up about the disturbing messages he has encountered since the casting news broke.

He shared, “I’ve been told, ‘Quit or I’ll murder you’...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!"

Reflecting on the emotional toll, he added, "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."

Despite the negativity, Essiedu emphasised that the experience has strengthened his resolve to bring his own interpretation to the iconic character.

He said, “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.”

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Paapa Essiedu is widely known for his work in projects like Black Mirror, I May Destroy You, Murder on the Orient Express, A Number and The Effect, where he has consistently earned acclaim for his performances.

Last year, HBO announced the principal adult cast for its upcoming Harry Potter series, which is slated to debut in 2027. The show will feature John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. Production is expected to begin in the summer of 2025.