These are no longer rumors. British-Ghanaian actor Paapa Essiedu will play the elusive Severus Snape in the “Harry Potter” series. An announcement that has sparked heated debates online. What bothers internet users isn’t so much that Alan Rickman has disappeared from the cast, but rather the skin color of his replacement in the role of the misanthropic wizard. Labeled an imposter, Paapa Essiedu has suffered the same fate as Halle Bailey at the end of the live-action “The Little Mermaid.” The actor, seen in “I May Destroy You,” must fight evil before its time. Lacking a potion ready to use to calm the viper’s tongues, Paapa Essiedu has made a more “rational” decision.
A well-deserved role
Paapa Essiedu is about to sign his contract to play Severus Snape, the Head of Slytherin House in a highly anticipated reboot. The 34-year-old actor, known for his performances in “The Lazarus Project” and “I May Destroy You,” is preparing to don the cape of this legendary Hogwarts character. The franchise hasn’t chosen just anyone to take on this challenging role. The austere wizard, first portrayed by the late Alan Rickman in the “Harry Potter” films, is one of the most complex and fascinating in the saga: a tortured, misanthropic anti-hero with a deep heart. A mission as ambitious as it is demanding, one for which Paapa Essiedu seems perfectly prepared. He has already proven himself on the small screen, whether playing a disco demon in “Black Mirror” or more realistic characters. Despite this prestigious resume and convincing filmography, internet users are not looking beyond his skin color. They focus on the actor’s appearance, which they say is not faithful to the portrayal JK Rowling paints of him in her book. A half-hidden racism that hasn’t escaped the actor.
Disguised racism
Papa Essiedu isn’t here to be a carbon copy of Alan Rickman, legendary as he may be. He has no intention of equaling or surpassing the original actor from the saga. On the contrary, he intends to bring a new freshness to this grumpy character, feared by all the students. But Internet users immediately accused him of distorting the original story and being too far removed from the “literary Severus.” Many believe Papa Essiedu isn’t cut out for this role and that he doesn’t fit the description from the pages of the book. “That’s not respecting the character, he has to be white!” “Snape isn’t supposed to be black,” detractors exclaim. “The series takes place in Africa?” adds another, more bluntly. Skin color, supposedly a simple aesthetic detail, immediately became an argument to disqualify Papa Essiedu. But just because Paapa Essiedu looks different from Severus doesn’t mean he can’t give depth to the character and capture his personality. Talent isn’t something you read on your face; it’s something you experience.
The actor makes a radical decision
If he had the power to open up narrow minds, the actor would do it. But in the world of the living, racism unfortunately cannot be resolved with a wave of a magic wand. To protect himself from slanderous opinions, Paapa Essiedu made a radical decision: setting
his Instagram account to private
. Since then, he has had peace! This response, far from being that of a distraught man, reveals the strength of an actor who weighs heavily in the media landscape. He knows that his choice to get involved in this project, alongside actress Janet McTeer, who is expected to play Minerva McGonagall, goes beyond simply playing a role. It is a courageous stance, that of claiming a place for Black talent in leading roles, even when the system still seems reluctant to break stereotypes. Paapa Essiedu is not the only one to face criticism from reactionaries, who refuse to change pop culture. Rachel Zegler, who starred in “Snow White,” was deemed “too dark” to portray the princess on screen.
