Paapa Essiedu, the British-Ghanaian actor cast as Severus Snape in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter television series, revealed he has faced racist death threats and abuse online since the casting announcement.

In an interview with The Sunday Times published March 21, Essiedu, 35, shared specific messages he received, including "Quit or I'll murder you" and "I'm going to come to your house and kill you." He described checking Instagram and encountering such threats regularly, stating, "I'd be lying if I said it doesn't affect me emotionally."

Essiedu noted the emotional toll but said the abuse motivates him. "The abuse fuels me and makes me more passionate about making this character my own," he said, emphasizing representation for children like him who found escapism in J.K. Rowling's books during childhood. He never watched the films but read the novels avidly, as his mother took him to the library during holidays.

The backlash stems from Essiedu's casting in the role originated by the late Alan Rickman, a white actor, in the film series. Critics have targeted his race, despite the books describing Snape as sallow-skinned without specifying ethnicity.

HBO has responded by bolstering security on the Harry Potter set. CEO Casey Bloys confirmed a "serious security team" and social media training for actors, anticipating issues with passionate fans of the franchise. "It can get scary in places," Bloys said Wednesday.

Production on the series, which adapts all seven books across multiple seasons, began in July 2025 and is slated for a 2027 premiere on Max. Essiedu has been committed for ten years. The cast features Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, with John Lithgow as Dumbledore and Janet McTeer as McGonagall.

Original series actor Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy, defended Essiedu last year, calling online critics racist and praising him as one of the best actors he has seen. J.K. Rowling also supported retaining Essiedu amid separate controversies.

Essiedu has not reported the threats to authorities, saying jail time for young trolls would not help him feel better. He reiterated that no one should face such harassment for their work, especially while "playing a wizard in Harry Potter."