Harry Potter Star Jason Isaacs Slams Racist Backlash Over Paapa Essiedu's Casting In New Series
Jason Isaacs has jumped to the defence of Harry Potter newcomer Paapa Essiedu, after he was cast as Hogwarts professor Severus Snape in the new TV adaptation of the popular novels.
The White Lotus star played Lucius Malfoy in the original Harry Potter movies, and during an appearance at the FanExpo event in Denver, was asked about the new batch of actors who’ve been cast in the TV series.
“Paapa Essiedu is one of the best actors I’ve ever seen in my life,” Jason said of the I May Destroy You actor (as reported by The Independent). “I’ve seen some people online who are being rude about him. What they’re being is racist.”
He continued: “All the cast of the new Harry Potter TV series are amazing. The [online critics] will be swallowing their tongues, hopefully – you know, their digital tongues – when they see what he does on screen.”
Paapa – known for his work in I May Destroy You, Anne Boleyn, The Lazarus Project and The Capture – is the first Black actor to play Snape in a major Harry Potter production (the character was previously portrayed by Alan Rickman in the original films, and the likes of Paul Bentall and Byron Jennings in the play Harry Potter And The Cursed Child.
It’s worth noting that the new Harry Potter series’ cast members have also received backlash over their involvement in the show from some critics due to JK Rowling’s involvement.
Rowling has become a divisive figure in recent years to her commentary on issues relating to the transgender community. This has included deliberately misgendering a number of trans public figures, and donating £70,000 to a campaign group which raised the initial legal challenge that led to the UK Supreme Court’s controversial ruling that the legal definition of a woman includes only those who were assigned female at birth.
In light of this ruling, Paapa made headlines when he was one of around 400 figures from the entertainment world who co-signed an open letter calling for protection of trans people within the industry.
Responding to this, the author wrote on X back in May: “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.”
US broadcaster HBO previously defended Rowling’s involvement in the series, with a spokesperson insisting: “JK Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”
More recently, an executive at HBO maintained: “It’s pretty clear that those are her personal, political views. She’s entitled to them. Harry Potter is not secretly being infused with anything. And if you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter.”