Draco Malfoy Actor in 'Harry Potter' HBO Series Details Major Change for Character in New Show
Paapa Essiedu is opening up about a troubling reality.
The Shakespearean stage actor—who was announced to play Severus Snape (previously played by Alan Rickman) in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series—opened up about the racism he’s endured since joining the HBO show’s cast.
“It really matters,” he told The Times of London in an interview published March 21. “The reality is that if I look at Instagram I will see somebody saying, ‘I’m going to come to your house and kill you.’ So, while I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be murdered—that could age badly!”
“But, yes, while I hope I’ll be OK, nobody should have to encounter this for doing their job,” he said of receiving online criticism for being cast in the series. “Many people put their lives on the line in their work. I’m playing a wizard in Harry Potter. And I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally.”
But as hurtful as the comments are, Paapa noted how staying offline isn’t a viable option for escaping the hateful remarks.
“Even if you successfully ignore it, it doesn’t mean it’s not happening,” he explained. “The issue remains endemic and, anyway, people see stuff and message to ask if I’m OK.”
Though the backlash he’s received for the casting choice has been unsettling, the British actor revealed he hasn’t reported any of the death threats. As he put it, “I don’t think some 17-year-old boy being put in jail for two weeks for threatening to murder me would actually make me feel any better.”
Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Harper's Bazaar UK
But the 35-year-old—who was announced as part of the show’s cast in April 2025 alongside John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, and Nick Frost—is determined to use the opinions of others to his advantage as he navigates this next chapter in his career.
“The abuse fuels me,” he explained. “And makes me more passionate about making this character my own, because I think of how I felt as a kid.”
“I would imagine myself at Hogwarts on broomsticks, and the idea that a kid like me can see themselves represented in that world?” he added. “That’s motivation to not be intimidated by someone saying they’d rather I died instead of doing work I’m going to be really proud of.”
Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images for British Vogue
And putting the negativity aside is a small price to pay for Paapa, who couldn’t be more excited for the life-changing opportunity.
“Yes, this is a big commitment,” he said. “I’ll be 45 by the time I finish and I know my life is going to change in a big way, but I have to just surrender to that. I could have children by the end of this.”
As fans await an official release date for the Harry Potter series, read on for more exciting TV premieres coming up.
TLC/Warner Bros. Discovery
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Apple TV
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Prime Video/Amazon
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Prime Video/Amazon MGM Studios
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HBO
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Apple TV
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Prime Video/Amazon MGM Studios
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Netflix
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Disney
Love Overboard (Hulu) - Mar. 26
Get ready to hit the high seas with Love Overboard!
Step aboard the ultimate luxury yacht, where sexy singles are ready to mix and mingle…and find love. But there's a twist…gaining access to the yacht's extravagant amenities won't be so simple. As the journey unfolds, romance ignites; alliances form; and hearts are shattered. In the end, only one couple will reign supreme. Who will rise to the top, and who will be left stranded
Apple TV
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Magnolia Network/Warner Bros. Discovery
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Prime Video/Amazon MGM Studios
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Netflix
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National Geographic/Disney
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Acorn TV
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Anne Binckebanck/HBO
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Bravo/NBCUniversal
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Netflix
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Disney
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Warner Bros. Discovery
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Bronson Farr/Bravo
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Netflix
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Apple TV+
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Courtesy of Kansas Athletics/Paramount+
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FOX
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TBS/Warner Bros. Discovery
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BritBox
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