Jason Isaacs slammed fans criticising the casting of Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape in the upcoming Harry Potter series.
When speaking during a panel at FanExpo Denver moderated by Collider’s Maggie Lovitt, Isaacs called out the racism fuelling the backlash over the casting. “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,” said the Hogwarts alum. “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.”
Issacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the original Harry Potter film franchise, praised the new generation set to star in the upcoming Harry Potter reboot television series. “The show is being made by the same people who made the films, and they’re just taking the time to make each book into a whole season — and it’s going to be great,” said Issacs.
Following the announcement that Essiedu would play Snape in the HBO drama, some fans wondered if the casting would be at odds with J.K. Rowling, who is involved with the series. In the decades since the original book series and feature films, Rowling has espoused her anti-trans rhetoric on social media, which has prompted even actors from the film series to speak out against the author.
In May, Essiedu and over 400 others in the film industry, including Fantastic Beasts’ Eddie Redmayne, signed an open letter condemning the U.K. Supreme Court for ruling that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex and that transgender women are not included within that legal definition.
Rowling celebrated the anti-trans ruling, and addressed speculation surrounding Essiedu’s 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. “I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.”
In May, an HBO executive assured fans of the Harry Potter franchise that the reboot series will not be “infused” with J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans beliefs, despite the author’s hands-on involvement with the show.
Love Music?
Get your daily dose of everything happening in Australian/New Zealand music and globally.
From Rolling Stone US
