‘Harry Potter’ Star Paapa Essiedu Says ‘I Don’t Want to Talk About’ J.K. Rowling ‘At All’ but ‘Trans People Have the Right to Be Treated With Respect and Dignity’

Nov 10, 2026 1:09pm PT ‘Harry Potter’ Star Paapa Essiedu Says ‘I Don’t Want to Talk About’ J.K. Rowling ‘At All’ but ‘Trans People Have the Right to Be Treated With Respect and Dignity’

By Zack Sharf

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Zack Sharf

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• ‘Harry Potter’ Star Paapa Essiedu Says ‘I Don’t Want to Talk About’ J.K. Rowling ‘At All’ but ‘Trans People Have the Right to Be Treated With Respect and Dignity’ 12 minutes ago
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HBO‘s “Harry Potter” showrunner Francesca Gardiner is condemning the “abuse” being directed at Paapa Essiedu, the “I May Destroy You” Emmy nominee who is taking over the role of Professor Severus Snape in the first television series adaptation of J.K. Rowling‘s literary franchise. Essiedu has been outspoken since March about the racism he’s been facing online by toxic fans upset with the casting of a Black actor in the role.

“It’s appalling that anyone should be subjected to that kind of abuse in any circumstances,” Gardiner told Vanity Fair as part of a new profile on the actor. “He has handled it with incredible grace, and I have nothing but the greatest respect for him…. Paapa has absolutely nailed the role, and it is that performance that deserves our attention.”

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