‘Harry Potter’ HBO series eyes Paapa Essiedu for Severus Snape role

[monketsharona 61,974]

I will always be rooting for diversity roles being created, like always ! But I truly hate the race / sex / sexuality change on iconic and settled characters already existing.

This show is sold as being ultra faithful to the books. It starts not being that accurate so... I would have rather seen them createing a brand new show related to HP with new stories and new characters with a lead black actor than just race swapping an already existing character that is just not fitting.

[Karl 3,263]

30 minutes ago, SlowLoris said:

Do you really think there are only white people in the UK?

 

29 minutes ago, SlowLoris said:

You've clearly never been to the UK if you think white people are the only people there lmao

No two separate points hun I think we have crossed wires

1. I'm happy for the diverse case cos the original was giving vanilla milkshake

2. I still think it should be set in the UK (not related to the casting)

I'm from the UK 😂

[bionic 45,175]

8 minutes ago, Karl said:

 

No two separate points hun I think we have crossed wires

1. I'm happy for the diverse case cos the original was giving vanilla milkshake

2. I still think it should be set in the UK (not related to the casting)

I'm from the UK 😂

Where is there any indication it won't be set in the UK

[lastpopicon 5,037]

39 minutes ago, A Very Gaga Holida said:

I’m amazed JKR allowed that! So she’s okay with minorities unless they’re trans

her hate for trans people should honestly be studied because it doesn't make any damn sense, why is she sooo hateful, i'll never understand it.

screw you jk Rowling for tainting my most beloved childhood memories ig 

[Gaga2645 2,095]

50 minutes ago, Citrom said:

I’m sorry but you don’t need to be racist to be against decisions like this… I’m kinda upset they ruin the whole thing when the story is based in the UK… or snow white and so on…

And yes i am not racist despite of yall gonna say.. What im saying is that this is not the right movement to promote diversity .. all of this just making society more hostile 

Diverse casting is making society more hostile…? Y’all show your internalized racial biases on here every day omg. Just because a story is based in the UK (a fantasy story about witches and wizards) it doesn’t mean POC can’t be cast. 
You’re indeed racist, y’all are just so used to only seeing Extremist Racism and considering that and only that Racism. Delusion 

[Karl 3,263]

36 minutes ago, bionic said:

Where is there any indication it won't be set in the UK

 The poster on the last page, that's what I was commenting asking originally if that's true, I mean I'll still love it if not but a weird choice

 

Edit just re read the comment and I think I got it confused, I think they were saying it should be white people because it's set in the UK, yikes! As long as it's set in the UK I'm happy, they can cast whoever they want, we are an incredibly multicultural country.

Edited December 5, 2024 by Karl

[LeafBug 7,752]

They should cast a trans actor.

[Arthur Warhol 73]

[DopeEnigma 1,083]

Whoever gets the part has some massive boots to fill, Alan Rickman was just unbelievably perfect for that role. I’d be scared of even trying to do that role after he’d done it, he was superbly talented. 

[jimmytimestep 2,489]

I can get down with this casting. He must have given a banging audition for the team to consider him so strongly;I don’t care so much about Snape’s ethnicity but this actor is significantly younger than I expected.

I’m hopeful Herminone is played by a black actor as well, like she is on stage in Cursed Child.

[PatrickMonster 6,069]

5 minutes ago, jimmytimestep said:

I can get down with this casting. He must have given a banging audition for the team to consider him so strongly;I don’t care so much about Snape’s ethnicity but this actor is significantly younger than I expected.

I’m hopeful Herminone is played by a black actor as well, like she is on stage in Cursed Child.

Age is not the problem as Lily gave birth to Harry at 20 years old and Snape was the same age I think? This means when Harry first goes to Hogwarts at 11 years old, Severus should be 31 years old only.

[weed 71,837]

Idk him or his work but from that photo I don’t get the Snape vibe at all. Is it focusing on Harry or is it about the adults when they were younger?

[JoeMo 3,772]

2 hours ago, Citrom said:

I’m sorry but you don’t need to be racist to be against decisions like this… I’m kinda upset they ruin the whole thing when the story is based in the UK… or snow white and so on…

And yes i am not racist despite of yall gonna say.. What im saying is that this is not the right movement to promote diversity .. all of this just making society more hostile

Just out of curiosity, how does it make society more hostile? Other than people on one side argue more with people on another?

People are likely going to be upset because they’re used to a white man playing snape, which has become quite an iconic character in pop culture. But when you really pick that apart… when you really think about it, why can’t Snape be black? 
 

The story of Harry Potter (which I am a massive fan of) clearly has diversity issues. I think it’s a smart move especially with the basket case that is JK at the top making all the money.

Side note - I can’t wait to watch this illegally. 

 

[bpmMonkey 4,527]

12 minutes ago, weed said:

Idk him or his work but from that photo I don’t get the Snape vibe at all. Is it focusing on Harry or is it about the adults when they were younger?

Totally agree. I also don’t get any Bellatrix Lestrange vibes from that one, I think they‘re really making a mistake here. 

Edited December 5, 2024 by bpmMonkey

[littlepotter 74,615]

3 hours ago, bpmMonkey said:

I wasn’t calling you racist or even insinuating people in this thread, just acknowledging that these types of news and casting decisions attract racist people all the time. 

The source material to this TV show is written text. Not the movies. The books don’t specify for most characters what their skin looks like, how they identify or what their nationality is. There have been migrants in the UK in the 80s and before. If you feel like casting a POC in a role that has been once played by a Caucasian looking actor then I can’t and also don’t care for changing your mind, these are your feelings and they are valid.  

Well you said it. The book does specify in this case and when you have such a vivid mental image of a character it's hard to see them in someone who looks completely different.

Snape is described as "pallid" and having "sallow skin," meaning very white/pale so as to look like he's sick which contributes to why he was outcast, with long oily straight black hair. Does this fit the man in the OP? You can't expect people not to react negatively to that.