“Harry Potter”’s New Snape Actor Paapa Essiedu Defends His Decision to Take the Role Despite ‘Hate’ Involving J.K. Rowling

NEED TO KNOW

• Harry Potter‘s Paapa Essiedu defends his involvement in the upcoming series despite J.K. Rowling controversy

• The actor will portray Severus Snape in the upcoming HBO adaptation of Harry Potter

• The show premieres next month on Christmas Day

Harry Potter star Paapa Essiedu defended taking a role in the upcoming show amid backlash toward author J.K. Rowling.

The actor, 36, will play Severus Snape in the HBO adaptation of Harry Potter, which counts Rowling, 61, among its executive producers.

In an interview with Vanity Fair published Tuesday, Nov. 10, Essiedu discussed his decision to join the series amid controversy over Rowling’s outspoken comments on feminism and transgender rights.

“I have been super clear about my position on this topic, and that is the reason why she spoke out about me,” said Essiedu, who signed an open letter in support of the transgender, nonbinary and intersex community shortly after his casting. (In May 2025, Rowling reacted on X to Essiedu being among those who signed the open letter, writing, “I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did. I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.”)

“I’m really keen not to make a kind of ‘them and us’ dynamic here. I’m not really here to speak about Jo’s politics or to be a mouthpiece for her,” he continued. “I can only be really, really clear about what I believe and be consistent with that.”

“I believe, in my bones, that trans people, queer people, people of all creeds and color have got the right to be treated with respect and dignity and safety at all times — whether they’re in the workplace, whether they’re at home or in the street, whatever,” Essiedu said. “That’s what I believe, and that’s the way that I choose to live my life. That’s the creed by which I live.”

Rowling has faced backlash over her comments about the transgender community. She first came under fire in 2020 for making remarks widely condemned as transphobic. The author has denied being transphobic and defended her views as pro-feminist.

Essiedu said he believes the new adaptation “has the potential to do really, really, really beautiful things.”

“When I come back to this story — this actual story — I’m thinking about the themes that it explores,” he said. “Themes of forgiveness and good triumphing over evil, and of accepting people for who they are and allowing people to really be themselves within a world where anything is possible.”

The I May Destroy You actor, who has also spoken about racist comments directed at him after he was revealed to be cast as Snape, told Vanity Fair, though, that he has received positive reactions to his participation in the show too: “I got a lot of love as well,” he said. “That really fuels me as much as the hate.”

Earlier this year, Bel Powley, who stars as Aunt Petunia Dursley in the series, spoke out against Rowling’s controversial views in an interview with The Telegraph.

“I strongly disagree with J.K. Rowling’s views on gender. I think that the trans community deserves safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance,” she said. “But I love Harry Potter. I grew up with the books. I am from that first generation of readers and, again, I love magic and spookiness.”

John Lithgow, who will play Albus Dumbledore, revealed that he previously considered quitting the series due to backlash over its connection to Rowling in an interview with The New York Times.

Lithgow, 80, confirmed that he has not met the author and does not agree with her comments, adding that the series was “clearly on the side of the angels, against intolerance and bigotry.” Though the actor felt “stung” by the online response to his casting, he decided to continue working on the series.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone premieres on HBO on Dec. 25.

Read the original article on People