Actor Paapa Essiedu has defended his decision to play Severus Snape in HBO’s upcoming ‘Harry Potter’ series, acknowledging the strong reactions surrounding the show and its author, JK Rowling.
According to Deadline, speaking to ‘Time’, Essiedu said he first encountered the story through the books. He added that people had different opinions about the controversy, but his priority remained bringing depth and complexity to his character.
He said, “People have got a lot of feelings about this. Obviously, everyone’s got the right to their own opinions about whatever”.
Essiedu added that his responsibility was to portray Snape with humanity and complexity. He described the role as a privilege and said he hoped to continue playing the character for a long time.
The casting controversy stems partly from Rowling’s public opposition to transgender rights. Essiedu has spoken out in support of transgender people and was among more than 400 figures from the UK film and television industry who signed a letter in April 2025 urging action to protect trans rights.
The dispute intensified after the UK Supreme Court ruled in April 2025 that the legal definition of a woman under the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex. Rowling welcomed the ruling.
In May 2025, Rowling addressed speculation that Essiedu could lose his role because of his views. She said she had no power to dismiss actors from the series and would not do so even if she could.
“I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine,” she wrote on social media.
Essiedu’s co-stars John Lithgow and Bel Powley have also expressed disagreement with Rowling’s views on transgender issues.
The new ‘Harry Potter’ series is scheduled to premiere on Christmas Day. Production began in the UK in 2025, with Dominic McLaughlin playing Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. The cast also includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
Meanwhile, the BBC is developing a two-part documentary about Rowling. The programme will examine the rise of the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise and how the author has used her public platform to campaign on transgender issues.
