Casting announcement for Snape role

HBO Max and Warner Bros. confirmed in March 2025 that actor Paapa Essiedu would portray the character of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. The announcement sparked significant reactions online, including criticisms and hate messages, some of which were described as fueled by racism.

Essiedu responds to criticism

Nearly a year after his casting and about a month before the series' release on the streaming platform, Essiedu addressed the criticisms. He acknowledged that fans have strong opinions about the Harry Potter franchise and the casting choices.

Focus on the role

When questioned by TIME about his casting and the criticism, Essiedu said, "Everyone has the right to have their opinion on what they want." Rather than addressing the criticisms individually, Essiedu emphasized his focus on the role he is about to take on.

Essiedu's approach to the character

"For my part, I discovered this story through the books," Essiedu said. "People therefore have very varied feelings about it. I focus on the task that awaits me, namely to inject as much humanity, depth, dimensions, nuances, and complexity as possible into a character who already has a lot."

Original portrayal of Snape

Essiedu noted that he first encountered the Harry Potter story through the books and not through the film adaptations. As a result, his portrayal of Snape will be original and not a reproduction of Alan Rickman's performance.

Release date for first season

The first season of the Harry Potter series, which will adapt the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is scheduled to be broadcast on HBO Max starting December 25, 2026.