Deadline recently reported that HBO is considering Paapa Essiedu, from ‘I May Destroy You,’ for the role of Severus Snape in the new ‘Harry Potter’ TV series though no official offer has been made to the actor, and there have been no formal discussions between his representatives and the streamer yet.
Essiedu, who got acclaim for several of his projects, has recently teamed up with WME for representation. His work in ‘I May Destroy You’ earned him an Emmy nomination for Supporting Actor, and he also received a BAFTA nomination for Lead Actor for his role in ‘The Lazarus Project.’
Alan Rickman famously played Severus Snape in the original ‘Harry Potter’ films, where the Potions professor turned out to be a double agent for Albus Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix. Other rumors said the studio was in talks with Mark Strong and Mark Rylance to play the Hogwarts Headmaster.
An HBO representative recently said of the talks, “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”
HBO plans to have diversity in the ‘Harry Potter’ series cast, opening auditions to people of any race, ethnicity, religion, and gender identity. This approach mirrors that seen in the stage play ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,’ which brought in POC actresses for Hermione.
Francesca Gardiner serves as the writer and executive producer of the upcoming show, with Mark Mylod directing several episodes and serving as an executive producer. The production team also includes author J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts from Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman from Heyday Films, who was a producer on the original movies.
