Paapa Essiedu: Who is the controversial black actor playing Snape in "Harry Potter"?

HBO has just officially announced the first cast for the Harry Potter TV series. However, the casting of Paapa Essiedu, an actor of color, as Snape has created controversy on social media.

Previously, the late actor Alan Rickman played the role of the Potions professor at Hogwarts throughout the Warner Bros. film series from 2001-2011, leaving a deep impression on the audience.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new TV series will begin filming in the summer of 2025, opening with an adaptation of the debut novel Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, published in 1997.

Besides Paapa Essiedu, the series also brings together many famous actors such as John Lithgow - an Emmy awar.d winner - who will play Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer will play Professor Minerva McGonagall, and Nick Frost will play Rubeus Hagrid.

These actors have all appeared throughout the series. The three main roles of Harry, Ron and Hermione have not yet been announced. HBO said that in 2024, up to 32,000 children auditioned for the three characters - all of whom were 11 years old in the opening season.

As soon as the news of Paapa Essiedu's casting as Snape broke, the fan community was in a heated debate. Many criticized HBO, saying the actor did not match the original description of the character in the books - "a hooked nose, pale ski.n, greasy black hair and cold black eyes".

Some people condemned the overly sensitive casting decision. On social network X, viewers wrote: "Sorry but only one person can be Snape - HBO should not touch this legacy", another account said: "Even if Essiedu is the best actor in the world, he is not suitable for the image of Snape".

Amidst the negative reactions, there were also many people who spoke up to defend the British actor who made a splash in Black Mirror. "Maybe Harry Potter fans haven't thought that Paapa Essiedu is simply the most suitable person for this role?", "He's an excellent actor, in another context this could be an inspired casting", the audience commented.

Paapa Essiedu was born in 1990 in London (UK), to Ghanaian parents. He comes from a theater background, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2012. The actor moved into television and film in 2016, appearing in A Midsummer Night's Dream (2016), The Miniaturist (2017), Murde.r on the Orient Express (2017).

Essiedu made his breakthrough as Kwame in I May Destroy You (2020), which was nominated for a Primetime Emmy and a British Academy Television Awar.d. He recently starred in the Netflix spy drama Black Doves, and starred opposite Saoirse Ronan in The Outrun, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Most recently, he appeared in the sixth season of Black Mirror, episode Demon 79.

The casting announcement said they were "committed to inclusive and diverse casting," not regarding race, gender, or any legally protected status. This has fans even more concerned that the series is about to stray from the source material.

In the face of protests, director and producer Mark Mylod said: "No one can replace Alan Rickman, but we can find a new Alan Rickman."

"We're thrilled to have such incredible actors joining us. They'll bring a new look to characters loved by millions," added screenwriter Francesca Gardiner.

JK Rowling once publicly spoke out to defend Noma Dumezweni - the black actress who played Hermione Granger in the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Chil.d which premiered on the West End in 2016.

When faced with controversy, Rowling responded: "It's just racist. I expected idiots to react. But Noma was chosen because she was the most suitable actress for the role. Hermione could absolutely be a woman of color - with my full support."

In addition to the role of Snape, people are also curious to see who will replace Ralph Fiennes to transform into Voldemort - the most iconic villain in the Harry Potter world in the HBO TV version.

In a recent interview with Deadline, Warner Bros. CEO Channing Dungey gave an update on the casting process for Voldemort in the Harry Potter TV adaptation. Dungey shared, "We're looking very closely at the role of Voldemort. We're looking at a number of options right now. It's a big role that we have to be careful about."

Certainly, this choice was not an easy one. The character of Voldemort, portrayed by Ralph Fiennes in the film version, left a deep impression and became one of the most terrifying villains on screen. Finding a replacement not only had to face the huge shadow of Fiennes but also had to meet the great acting requirements to portray the depth of the supreme wizard.

Cillian Murphy, star of Peaky Blinders and the man who successfully portrayed the villain in The Dark Knight, is the most talked about name in the Harry Potter fan community. When asked about the possibility of Murphy playing Voldemort, Dungey replied vaguely: "No comment." However, this answer seems to be hiding an interesting truth, because Murphy has the ability to bring a cold, evil but also secretive Voldemort.

With his piercing gaze and powerful expressiveness, Murphy could create a Voldemort that is completely different from Ralph Fiennes. However, casting Cillian Murphy could also be a challenging decision, as it would be a big choice, leading many to compare it to previous films.

HBO plans to adapt all seven Harry Potter novels into seven television seasons, with significant changes compared to the film version.

The series is written by Francesca Gardiner and directed and executive produced by Mark Mylod. HBO and Max Content chairman and CEO Casey Bloys called the project a faithful adaptation of JK Rowling's novels.

The film was shot at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden in England. According to Variety, about 32,000 children auditioned for the main roles of Harry, Hermione and Ron.

Experts say that after casting black actress Noma Dumezweni as Hermione in the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Chil.d, the brand continued to build a diverse wizarding world, launching a TV series about Harry Potter. This is also the direction that the famous fantasy brand The Lord of the Rings took, shown on the Amazon platform.

The Harry Potter series consists of seven parts, telling the adventures of the young wizard Harry Potter and his two friends Ron and Hermione at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Part one Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was published on June 26, 1997. To date, the seven books in the series have sold 500 million copies - becoming the best-selling book series in history - and have been translated into 73 languages. The final part Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was published on July 21, 2007 - selling 15 million copies worldwide in just 24 hours.

The books were adapted into the Harry Potter film series (2001-2011). The eight installments have grossed $7.7 billion at the box office and received 12 Oscar nominations.

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