Паапа Ессьєду і покійний Алан Рікман, який грав Снейпа у фільмах Warner Bros.
British actor Paapa Essiedu has been offered to play Severus Snape in the upcoming HBO series about “Harry Potter,” sources told the Hollywood Reporter.
Severus Snape — a potions master at Hogwarts, who is set to become one of the main antagonists in the first season of the HBO series, based on J.K. Rowling’s debut novel “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” from 1997. In all eight Warner Bros. films, this role was played by Alan Rickman.
So far, no actors for the series about Harry Potter have been officially chosen, and Paapa Essiedu and Mark Rylance (who has been offered to play Dumbledore) — are the only ones who seem to be approaching real negotiations. Casting for the roles of Ron, Hermione, and Harry is currently ongoing.
As a reminder, Gary Oldman, who played Sirius Black in the films, expressed interest in playing the Hogwarts director, and Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort), suggested that Cillian Murphy would do well in his role in the series.
Essiedu himself was primarily a theater actor and became known in television circles after his role in the HBO drama “I May Destroy You,” later he also appeared in the adaptation of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express” with Kenneth Branagh (who, incidentally, also played Gilderoy Lockhart in the Harry Potter films).
If the actor does get the role of Snape, then HBO will fulfill its promise of a diverse cast for the series (the films, remember, were often criticized in this regard).
“We understand that such a high-profile series will cause many rumors and speculations. As we prepare for production, we will confirm details only when we finalize deals,” — said HBO in response to rumors about casting Essiedu.
The series is touted as “an accurate adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series for a new generation of fans.” J.K. Rowling is involved in the project as an executive producer, with Francesca Gardiner as the scriptwriter, and Mark Mylod (“Game of Thrones”) producing and directing several episodes.
The first season of the series about Harry Potter is set to debut in 2027.