Well, well, well—HBO has done it again. Just when Harry Potter fans were cautiously optimistic (or at least resigned) about the upcoming TV reboot, Deadline dropped the bombshell that British actor Paapa Essiedu is reportedly set to play Professor Severus Snape, the eternally bitter, greasy-haired potions master. And let’s just say, the internet is not handling it well.
While Essiedu is widely respected for his performances in I May Destroy You and The Lazarus Project, many fans are losing their minds over the fact that Snape, canonically described as “sallow-skinned” and deathly pale, will now be played by a Black man. Others, however, are gleefully embracing the chaos.
The Internet Meltdown: A Timeline
As soon as Deadline‘s report hit the timeline, fans scrambled to process their emotions. Confusion, rage, joy, and unfiltered shitposting ensued.
One user summed up their disbelief, tweeting:
“I will never understand how they lie about ‘oh this is going to be more in line with the books than the movies were’ and then they do this. There are a ton of main characters that didn’t have specific and detailed info about their features. Snape is not one of those.”
Others took a more historical approach, warning that this casting would unearth some deep-seated ugliness from the fandom:
“Somebody protect this man bc he’s gonna have slurs thrown at him that haven’t been heard since Reconstruction by 40-year-old white dorks.”
And then, of course, there’s the inevitable “this is ruining the lore!” argument, with one person dramatically declaring:
“Sorry, but in the book they mention that Snape is a pale man with greasy hair, what are you telling me?”
The Fandom Is Fighting for Its Life
Harry Potter fans are no strangers to controversy, but this one has ignited a particularly unhinged debate about race, character integrity, and what it really means to be a miserable, brooding incel in a cloak.
On one side, you have the purists, clutching their well-worn paperbacks and screaming about authenticity. They argue that Snape’s paleness and overall “sickly Victorian orphan” aesthetic are essential to his character. One user put it bluntly:
“The edgy, heartbroken, miserable brooding type needs a pale white guy.”
Another tweeted:
“Okay but Snape’s motivation was rejection from a white woman, Paapa Essiedu about to look TERRIBLE.”
(Side note: imagine saying this out loud and realizing how ridiculous it sounds.)
On the other side, you have the chaos agents, the agents of mess, the people who know this casting is going to send the most obnoxious corners of the fandom into cardiac arrest—and they are here for it.
One tweet, dripping with chef’s kiss levels of irony, went viral:
“A Black man would be perfect casting for Snape since Harry spends his entire school career going ‘I swear that guy is up to no good’ with no hard evidence and then becomes a cop.”
Others are just worried about the sheer amount of hate Essiedu is about to endure, with one person begging:
“Lord protect this man because I know HBO won’t.”
A Casting Decision or a Social Experiment?
Let’s be real: this entire situation feels less like a casting announcement and more like an elaborate social experiment. The discourse has officially hit the five stages of fandom grief, and the show hasn’t even started filming yet.
People are asking valid questions:
- Why not just create new, diverse characters instead of race-bending existing ones?
- Why do people get angrier about a Black Snape than, say, J.K. Rowling’s actual problematic writing?
- *Wouldn’t it have been more fun to make Draco Black and watch the internet *really* implode?*
Meanwhile, some are taking the “HBO is just doing this for controversy” angle, pointing out that the backlash was both inevitable and predictable. One particularly dramatic tweet even joked:
“Trump actually needs to do something about this too I’m hella serious.”
(America, are you okay?)
The HBO Reboot: Doomed From the Start?
This whole thing raises a bigger question: Does anyone even want this reboot in the first place?
Since its announcement, the show has faced skepticism over whether it can recapture the magic of the original films. Fans have wondered if it’s even possible to reboot Harry Potter without the overshadowing presence of J.K. Rowling, who continues to be… well, herself.
The Snape casting discourse is just the latest mess in a long list of concerns about the series:
- Will the show stick to the books more than the films did, or are we getting another wave of “creative liberties”?
- Will the backlash scare off talented actors from taking on iconic roles?
- Will HBO ever address the fandom’s actual long-standing grievances—like how the franchise has historically treated its characters of color?
Right now, there are more questions than answers, and HBO has yet to comment on the internet firestorm. Neither has Essiedu, who is presumably minding his business and preparing for the inevitable tsunami of opinions coming his way.
Final Thoughts: Grab Your Popcorn, This Is Gonna Be a Ride
One thing’s for sure: this show is going to be a cultural event, whether we like it or not. The casting of Paapa Essiedu as Snape has already guaranteed that HBO’s Harry Potter reboot will be one of the most hotly debated, rage-tweeted, and meme-fueled projects of the decade.
Will Essiedu crush it and shut down the haters? Will this discourse somehow spiral into another entirely different controversy? Only time will tell.
Until then, buckle up, because this fandom is about to get even messier—and it was already a circus to begin with.
Discover more from Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
