PotterWatch ( HBO Harry Potter Series) Episode 4: Paapa Essiedu is a genius Severus Snape casting

Paapa Essiedu — the Emmy-nominated British actor known for his powerhouse performances in I May Destroy You, The Lazarus Project, and Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company — is reportedly in negotiations to play Severus Snape in the upcoming HBO reboot of Harry Potter.
Now, let’s be clear: this isn’t just any casting rumour. This is about one of the most complex, iconic roles in the entire series. And the very idea of a black actor in this role has sparked both excitement and controversy. Unfortunately, the backlash has been loud and unpleasant and even more shockingly, seems to have at least in part have been directed at Paapa himself, who at the time of writing had changed his social media settings on at least one platform to hidden.
In this episode, we’ll be discussing why I think casting Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape might just be one of the boldest, smartest moves this reboot could’ve made, and will be unpacking some of the reasons why, as well as addressing some of the hate this rumour has unleashed online.