'Harry Potter's Paapa Essiedu Reveals Death Threats Over Snape Casting

HBO

Ever since it was announced that Paapa Essiedu would be taking up the cloak in the iconic role of Severus Snape in HBO’s new Harry Potter series, the English actor has faced intense, racist backlash. The insults have gotten so bad, that they’ve crossed the line into threats against the actor’s life, Essiedu recently revealed.

“I’ve been told, ‘Quit or I’ll murder you,’” Essiedu shared in a March 21 The Times interview. He went on to explain that this constant risk of danger has been unavoidable since his casting unveiled in April 2025. “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… 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 w...