Casting Snape as black? Big no! Harry Potter fans slam Paapa Essiedu's casting as Snape

The casting news for the Harry Potter series has garnered mixed feelings from the fans. Some are thrilled with the new cast of actors, who are set to reprise the iconic characters on the screen again, while others expressed disappointment over the casting of actor Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape.

In the Warner Bros. movies, legendary actor Alan Rickman played the role of Snape. 

Backlash on Harry Potter Casting

The casting of Essiedu in the Harry Potter TV series has drawn mixed opinions, with fans debating over multiple reasons why the actor is not an accurate fit for the role.

Netizens debated over racially diverse casting by choosing a black actor in the role, stating he's the opposite of how Snape has been described in the novel. 

Also read: Harry Potter series cast announced: Check who will play Dumbledore, Hagrid, Snape, McGonagall and more

''Snape is described as a thin man with sallow skin, a large, hooked nose, and yellow, uneven teeth. He has shoulder-length, greasy black hair which frames his face, and cold, black eyes,'' reads the description in the book. 

However, some netizens wrote that casting a black man to play a white character is not a representation. While other fans argue about how the dynamics and story will be affected. 

Harry Potter fans slams Paapa Essiedu's casting as Snape

Complaining over the casting, an X user Kaizen D. Asiedu said in a video, “It’s cool as a Black person to see Paapa having success. I get that racially diverse casting can offer new perspectives, but this is forced.”

Another user wrote,''Casting a black African man to play WHITE BRITISH Severus Snape doesn’t give me “REPRESENTATION” at all.''

HBO may make Snape black in their Harry Potter TV show. Here’s the problem. pic.twitter.com/tDtDCGP1Pt

— Kaizen D. Asiedu (@thatsKAIZEN) March 8, 2025

Third user wrote,''I seriously pray that Paapa Essiedu is made of stone cos the harassment he will face the next decade will be unprecedented. Seriously, WHAT WERE THEY ALL THINKING CASTING A BLACK ACTOR FOR SEVERUS SNAPE.''

This choice is just confusing, great actor but wrong casting. Definitely can see the bullying being race based now which just isn’t the case in the books lol.

— EE »★« (@EEvisu) April 14, 2025

HBO just officially killed their show in the womb…

Snape is white in the books, so he should be white in the show. This is just DEI nonsense.

Now imagine what’ll look like when white James Potter bullies black Severus Snape… Great way to push a racism, victim agenda 🙄 https://t.co/UXeC7OtFvI pic.twitter.com/1mppJ3qvyg

— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) April 14, 2025

HBO has not reacted to the backlash yet. 

To people saying Adam Driver should’ve played Snape, yes, he’d be great. But let’s see a new twist. Maybe this actor can do something new. Harry Potter needs something NEW. Confront the biases and poor writing from the books with something new.

— Screen Saver Kai (@DorkSideOTRing) April 14, 2025

Harry Potter Casting

On Monday (April 14), the studio announced the names of the series regulars: John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Nick Frost will play Rubeus Hagrid. Actor Anthony Robert McMillan played the beloved role in the franchise.

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In addition, Luke Thallon will appear in a recurring role as Quirinus Quirrell, while Paul Whitehouse will also be in a recurring role as Argus Filch. 

The HBO series will adapt author JK Rowling's all seven books, with the first season expected to debut in 2026.