Overview
- In an interview published Saturday by The Times of London, Essiedu said messages on Instagram told him to quit or be murdered and threatened to come to his home.
- He said he has not reported the threats to police because jailing a teenage sender for a short time would not make him feel safer.
- Essiedu is signed to play Severus Snape for about a decade in HBO’s new adaptation, with production underway and a premiere planned for 2027.
- The backlash followed his casting in April 2025 and intersects with anger over J. K. Rowling’s views, as Essiedu has publicly supported trans rights.
- Industry voices have backed him, with former Potter actor Jason Isaacs calling the attacks racist and predicting critics will revise their views once they see the performance.