Paapa Essiedu is bravely shedding light on a distressing reality. As the Shakespearean stage actor, announced to portray Severus Snape—a role previously inhabited by Alan Rickman—in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series, he has spoken candidly about the racism he's endured since joining the HBO show's cast.
"It truly matters," he told The Times of London in an interview published on March 21. "The reality is that if I scroll through Instagram, I'll see someone saying, 'I'm going to come to your house and kill you.' So, while I'm fairly certain I won't be murdered—that could age badly!"
Despite his resilience, Paapa acknowledges that no one should have to endure such online criticism 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," he said.
However, staying offline isn't a feasible option to escape the hateful remarks, according to Paapa. "Even if you successfully ignore it, it doesn't mean it's not happening," he explained. "The issue remains endemic, and people see stuff and message to ask if I'm OK."
Despite the unsettling backlash he's received for the casting choice, the British actor revealed that he hasn't reported any of the death threats. As he put it, "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."
However, the 35-year-old—who was announced as part of the show's cast in April 2025 alongside John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, and Nick Frost—is determined to use the opinions of others to his advantage as he navigates this next chapter in his career. "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?" he added. "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."
For Paapa, putting the negativity aside is a small price to pay for the life-changing opportunity he's so excited for. "Yes, this is a big commitment," he said. "I'll be 45 by the time I finish, 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."
