Paapa Essiedu has revealed he's faced racist death threats after being cast as Professor Severus Snape in HBO's upcoming Harry Potty television series.
"I've been told, 'Quit or I'll murder you,'" the actor told The Times in a profile published Saturday.
Essiedu said after his casting was officially announced in April 2025, he faced backlash for being a Black actor stepping into the role of Snape.
"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… That could age badly! But, yes, while I hope I'll be OK, nobody should have to encounter this for doing their job," he said. "Many people put their lives on the line in their work. I'm playing a wizard
