HBO's 'Harry Potter' Star Paapa Essiedu Shuns JK Rowling, Says Trans People Deserve 'Respect'

Paapa Essiedu, who stars as Professor Snape in HBO’s Harry Potter series, says he doesn’t want to talk about franchise creator JK Rowling “at all,” as he says transgender people deserve “respect.” Rowling has been a target of haters on the left for her activism for female-only spaces and her criticism of radical transgenderism. And her posts on social media have made her persona non grata for many in Hollywood, including those working on projects based on her Harry Potter stories. The latest HBO series is no exception. Essiedu, who was cast as Professor Snape, was asked about what he thinks of the controversies concerning Rowlings. And as far as he is concerned, he doesn’t want to talk about the famed author. “I don’t want to talk about Jo at all,” Essiedu told Vanity Fair. But the actor nonetheless went on to piously dole out the left-wing Hollywood line on transgenderism. “I believe, in my bones, that trans people, queer people, people of all creeds and color have got the right to be treated with respect and dignity and safety at all times— whether they’re in the workplace, whether they’re at home or in the street, whatever,” Essiedu added “That’s what I believe, and that’s the way that I choose to live my life. That’s the creed by which I live.” Essiedu has stirred controversy of his own just for being cast in the Snape role. He claims that he has faced death threats for being a black man cast in a role traditionally filled by white actors, like the books. He told Variety that he doesn’t mind some criticism of his part in the new HBO series. But other critics are “racist.” “There’s some people who are just like, ‘I’ve done my research, and I know what kind of actor you are, and you suck.’ And they’re totally entitled to their opinion,” he said. “But then there are the people who are like, ‘You are bad because you are Black’—which, to me, is racist. Well, actually not ‘You’re bad because you are Black.’ But there is a racially driven animosity.” “I’ve been told, ‘Quit or I’ll murder you,” Essiedu said. He added that if he goes to Instagram, he will see comments saying, “I’m going to come to your house and kill you.” He added, “nobody should have to encounter this for doing their job. Many people put their lives on the line in their work. I’m playing a wizard in ‘Harry Potter.’ And I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally.” For her part, Rowlings says she has no control over the actor’s problems. “I don’t have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn’t exercise it if I did,” Rowling wrote about Essiedu on X. “I don’t believe in taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.” Essiedu has spoken out in favor of trans rights in the past. In April, Essiedu joined a number of left-wing actors and signed a letter to protest Britain’s Supreme Court after it ruled that transgender women cannot be considered biological women for purposes of equality. Follow Warner Todd Huston Facebook at: Facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston, or at X/Twitter @WTHuston