Paapa Essiedu has responded to the controversy surrounding his decision to join the upcoming TV adaptation of the Harry Potter novels.
The I May Destroy You star will play Hogwarts’ Potions master Severus Snape in the new TV series based on JK Rowling’s books, a project which is already hugely divisive due to the author’s involvement as an executive producer.
Rowling has become an increasingly controversial figure in recent years due to her ongoing commentary on issues relating to the transgender community.
This has included misgendering transgender public figures, as well as donating tens of thousands of pounds to the campaign group which raised the initial legal challenge that led to the UK Supreme Court’s ruling last year that the legal definition of a woman should include only those assigned female at birth.
As a result of this, Essiedu and his new co-stars have been met with a backlash over their involvement in the show – and the Bafta nominee later raised eyebrows last year when he co-signed an open letter calling for greater protection of trans people in the entertainment industry.
Speaking to Time last week, the British actor explained: “People have got a lot of feelings about this, and obviously everyone’s got the right to their own opinions about whatever.
“For me, really, I concentrate on the job at hand, which is to give as much humanity, as much depth, dimensions, layers, complexity to a character that has a lot of that, you know?
“That is my job – and it’s a privilege and it’s an honour to do it. And I look forward to being able to do it for a long time now.”
Rowling previously said of Essiedu, in response to a suggestion she “won’t have [him] sacked” despite their differing views: “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.”
Earlier this year, Essiedu shared that he’d already received racist death threats since his casting as Snape was made public.
“If I look at Instagram I will see somebody saying, ‘I’m going to come to your house and kill you’,” he told The Times.
“Many people put their lives on the line in their work,” he observed. “I’m playing a wizard in Harry Potter. And I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally.”
He then added: “The idea that a kid like me can see themselves represented in [the Harry Potter] world? That’s motivation to not be intimidated by someone saying they’d rather I died instead of doing work I’m going to be really proud of.”
Last week, he told Variety: “The whole team has been so supportive of me. Obviously, my priority is the work. I wouldn’t take this job on [otherwise], but I walk into it with open eyes.
“I understand the broad spectrum of what the reaction to what we’re doing means, and I take that mantle on with an open and full heart. I’ve also been blown away by a lot of the support and well-wishes and excitement.”
