Paapa Essiedu Faces Backlash for Snape Role

It's March 24.

This is Entertainment and Celebrity News.

Today, AI powered stories from the spotlight.

Papa S.I.A.Du has landed the role of Severus Snape in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series

on HBO, but it sparked intense backlash from some fans.

The British actor shared that he's received death threats and constant abuse on social

media since the casting news broke.

He described seeing violent messages Papa regularly on platforms like Instagram, which hit

him emotionally despite his efforts to brush them off.

S.I.A.Du pointed out that no one deserves that kind of harassment just for taking on a

job, especially when he's simply playing a wizard character.

Fans hold strong memories of Alan Rickman owning the role in the original films, so expectations

run high and some couldn't accept the change.

Still, S.I.A.Du plans to turn the negativity into fuel to make the part his own.

He grew up loving the Harry Potter books as an escape, but skipped the movies entirely.

The series boasts a fresh cast, including Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alistair

Stout in the main young roles, with a planned debut in 2027.

S.I.A.Du signed on for a 10-year commitment, calling it a major life shift.

As production ramps up, he's focused on delivering a performance that honors the story while

pushing forward amid the noise.