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Harry Potter TV series star says he has received death threats over taking Snape role: "I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally"
The Capture star Paapa Essiedu will portray Severus Snape in the upcoming TV series.
Dave Benett/Getty Images for Harper's Bazaar UK
- Lewis Knight
Published: Sunday, 22 March 2026 at 11:53 am
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Paapa Essiedu has said he has received death threats following his casting in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series.
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The British actor, known for his turns in I May Destroy You and The Capture, will portray the iconic and enigmatic character Severus Snape in the HBO Max adaptation of JK Rowling's much-loved novels.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Essiedu has shared that abusive responses to his casting in the show, which will premiere in early 2027, have not been a comfortable experience for him.
"It really matters," he told the paper. "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…"
After reportedly laughing, he is noted to have added: "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."
Alan Rickman as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films. Warner Bros
Despite any vitriol experienced, Essiedu said that "the abuse fuels" him and has made him more "passionate" about taking on the role of Snape.
He said of himself as a child: "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."
Last year, Harry Potter film series star Jason Isaacs spoke out against the "racist" abuse that Essiedu was facing over Essiedu's casting in the TV series adaptation.
“Paapa Essiedu is one of the best actors I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve seen some people online who are being rude about him. What they’re being is racist,” Isaacs said at FanExpo Denver, according to Collider.
“All the cast of the new Harry Potter TV series are amazing. They will be swallowing their tongues, hopefully – you know, their digital tongues – when they see what [Essiedu] does on screen.”
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The upcoming television series is expected to include eight episodes in its first season and has cast child actors Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, the last of whom will also voice Hermione in the Audible series Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions.
Other series regulars in the television series will include The Crown star John Lithgow as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Ozark actress Janet McTeer as his deputy Minerva McGonagall, and Hot Fuzz star Nick Frost as half-giant caretaker Rubeus Hagrid.
Essiedu, meanwhile, can currently be seen in The Capture season 3 and will soon star in an emotional new BBC drama named Babies.
Read More:
- Daniel Radcliffe wants to stop Harry Potter TV series stars being asked about the original films' cast
- Harry Potter TV series confirms Rivals and The Morning Show stars in iconic roles as nine castings revealed
- Cillian Murphy finally speaks out on those Voldemort casting rumours for Harry Potter TV series
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The Harry Potter TV series will premiere in early 2027 on HBO Max.
Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Lewis KnightNews and Trends Editor
Lewis is the news and trends editor at Radio Times and leads our approach to news, reactive content, and serving audience demands and interests. An obsessive fan of television and film, Lewis is a Nicole Kidman fanatic with a side of passion for science-fiction, art-house cinema and the latest HBO drama. Lewis has a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Film Studies. After working in advertising, Lewis worked at The Mirror for three years in community management and SEO, showbiz, film and television reporting.
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