Paapa Essiedu Has Copped Death Threats Since Being Cast In New Harry Potter Series

The actor set to step into one of the most iconic roles in the wizarding world has spoken out about the darker side of fandom — British actor Paapa Essiedu has revealed he has received death threats since his casting was announced.

Essiedu will play Severus Snape in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series.

In a recent interview, he said he had been told to “quit or I’ll murder you,” describing the experience as emotionally taxing, even as he tries to focus on the work itself.

“I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally,” he said, adding that the abuse persists regardless of whether he engages with social media.

The backlash has been fuelled by multiple fronts — including racist responses to his casting in a role previously played by Alan Rickman, as well as his public support for trans rights.

Essiedu signed open letter supporting trans community

Essiedu was among hundreds of actors who signed an open letter opposing a controversial UK Supreme Court ruling that defined “woman” and “sex” strictly in biological terms — a decision widely criticised by LGBTQIA+ advocates the world over.

The ruling was openly celebrated by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, whose ongoing anti-trans commentary has become an unavoidable backdrop to the new series.

Following Essiedu’s involvement in the letter, some corners of the internet unsurprisingly demanded he be removed from the role.

Essiedu has said the experience has only strengthened his resolve to bring something new to the character, pointing to the importance of representation for young audiences imagining themselves in these worlds.

But the situation is pretty dicey, to say the least. While it of course matters that actors within the legacy franchise are publicly backing the trans community. to counteract Rowling’s harmful anti-trans crusade, the project itself continues to funnel cultural and financial capital back to Rowling — who is then using a significant portion of it to fund anti-trans legal battles and more.