Paapa Essiedu Received Death Threats After Being Cast as Severus Snape in HBOs Harry Potter Series

Upcoming Harry Potter series star Paapa Essiedu says he received death threats following his casting as Severus Snape.

In an interview with The Times, the actor claimed that one person told him, “Quit, or I’ll murder you,” after he was announced to be playing the character that was previously portrayed by the late actor Alan Rickman in the Harry Potter films.

“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,’” Essiedu said. “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.”

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“Many people put their lives on the line in their work,” the actor continued. “I’m playing a wizard in Harry Potter. And I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally.”

As unsettling as it was to read comments like that, Essiedu said the experience has only made him more passionate about the upcoming series. “I think of how I felt as a kid,” he told The Times. “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 die instead of doing work I’m going to be really proud of.”

Essiedu isn’t the only actor from the series to receive backlash for his involvement in the series. John Lithgow, who has been cast as Professor Albus Dumbledore, revealed to The New York Times that he briefly considered leaving the project because of the involvement of author JK Rowling, who has a history of public hostility toward transgender people.

Lithgow said he ultimately chose to remain in the role, describing the books as “clearly on the side of the angels, against intolerance and bigotry.”

The Harry Potter series is slated to premiere on HBO in early 2027.