Jason Isaacs has called out "racist" criticism of Paapa Essiedu following his casting as Severus Snape in the new Harry Potter series.
The White Lotus actor, who played Lucius Malfoy in the original film series, heaped praise on The Lazarus Project star Essiedu as he prepares to follow in the footsteps of Alan Rickman, who played Snape in the films.
“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 at FanExpo Denver, according to 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 [Essiedu] does on screen.”
Isaacs also said that he didn't get any early information on casting, adding: “Funnily enough, my daughter’s friend from university is in the casting office for the show. She came for dinner, and she wouldn’t f**king tell us anything! Unbelievable, what a waste of university tuition fees.”
Essiedu will be joined by the likes of Nick Frost (Rubeus Hagrid), Janet McTeer (Minerva McGonagall), John Lithgow (Albus Dumbledore) and more in the HBO remake of JK Rowling's books.
Earlier this year, Essiedu was one of hundreds of film and TV professionals to sign an open letter in support of transgender rights following the UK Supreme Court's ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has faced backlash in some quarters due to her views on trans rights. In 2020, she published a lengthy statement detailing her stance on sex and gender debates – the essay was criticised and disputed by LGBTQ+ charities including Stonewall.
Rowling has also shared her views on social media, including in a 2024 post on X (formerly Twitter), in which she insisted that “there are no trans kids” and opposed the idea that a child can be “born in the wrong body”.
In May 2025, Rowling set up the JK Rowling Women’s Fund, which describes itself as offering legal funding support to “individuals and organisations fighting to retain women’s sex-based rights”.
Harry Potter actors including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, have distanced themselves from Rowling's views and have issued statements supporting the transgender community. Others, including Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter and Jim Broadbent, have defended the author from the criticism she has received.
Essiedu has not yet addressed Rowling's views publicly, although other members of the new TV series have. Frost told The Observer: “She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape or form.”
The series is expected to start filming this year and is currently scheduled for release in 2027.
The Harry Potter series will stream on HBO Max.
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