Jason Isaacs is not here for the backlash over the casting of Paapa Essiedu in the role of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series.
The White Lotus Season 3 star, who starred in the original Harry Potter franchise as Lucius Malfoy, and in a recent interview, called out fans who have an issue with Essiedu taking on the role of Snape.
“Paapa Essiedu is one of the best actors I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve seen some people online who are being rude about him. What they’re being is racist,” Isaacs said in an interview with Collider. “All the cast of the new Harry Potter TV series are amazing. They will be swallowing their tongues, hopefully — you know, their digital tongues — when they see what [Paapa] does on screen.”
The chatter on social media shifted to anti-trans activist and author J.K. Rowling, as fans questioned her stance on the Essiedu casting.
“I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series, and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did,” Rowling posted on X, the microblogging platform formerly known as Twitter and now owned by Elon Musk. “I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.”
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Alan Rickman portrayed the role of Snape in the original Harry Potter films.
Other actors cast in the Harry Potter TV series for HBO include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
RELATED: ‘Harry Potter’ HBO Series Casts Draco & Lucius Malfoy, Dursleys, Molly Weasley & More
Newcomers Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton have been cast as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
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