- Primary Subject: Harry Potter HBO Series / Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
- Key Update: Paapa Essiedu revealed that his approach to Severus Snape will focus on exploring the character's internal contradictions rather than imitating Alan Rickman's iconic performance.
- Status: Confirmed.
- Last Verified: November 12, 2026
- Quick Answer: Paapa Essiedu brings a fresh gothic aesthetic and complex, layered interpretation to Severus Snape in HBO's reboot while honoring Alan Rickman's legendary legacy.
Paapa Essiedu talks about how his portrayal of Professor Severus Snape in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series will differ from Alan Rickman's iconic performance in the eight original films.
Essiedu's casting has sparked controversy, with online backlash questioning the decision and drawing comparisons between the new actor and the late Rickman.
So, how does Essiedu plan to approach the Potion Master in the Harry Potter reboot?
How Does Paapa Essiedu Play Severus Snape in the Harry Potter Reboot?
After 15 years, fans will once again see Severus Snape, this time on the small screen, with Paapa Essiedu taking on the iconic role.
Previously portrayed by Alan Rickman in the movies, the English actor, who died of pancreatic cancer in January 2016, used his signature deep baritone voice, deliberate pacing, chilling pauses, and composed physical presence to bring the character to life.
These traits have become central to Rickman's definitive portrayal of Snape for Harry Potter fans. So, how does Essiedu plan to match or even surpass it?
In an interview with Vanity Fair, the 36-year-old actor revealed that he would not reinvent Snape or try to make people forget Rickman's performance, acknowledging that the late actor was already “an icon. He’s a legend.”
That said, Essiedu intends to bring his own interpretation to the role, saying he is “very clear-minded in my head about what I want to do and what I’m trying to achieve, and the potential of it.”
“Hopefully, I get the opportunity to pull the contradictions and the unexpected masks of Severus so that eventually we get a human being that is fully fleshed [out] and living and breathing,” he explained. “That was my ambition, and is my ambition. And you can judge me sometime – in 2039 or whatever it is – as to whether it’s been successful or not.”
Rather than trying to replicate Rickman's beloved performance, Essiedu hopes to explore Snape's complexities and give audiences a fresh perspective on the character when the HBO series arrives.
How Does Paapa Essiedu’s Severus Snape Differ From Alan Rickman’s?
Unlike Alan Rickman’s iconic disheveled hair, Essiedu sports shoulder-length dreadlocks, giving him a more gothic look.
He is also wearing a zip-up leather jacket and a flowing, oversized black cloak instead of the character’s signature buttoned-up robes.
“I think the aesthetic is important,” Essiedu said of his character’s look in the reboot. “I don’t know if style is necessarily at the forefront of my mind when generating the character, but I think the way he looks tells so much about who he is – and who he wants people to think he is. It’s all incredibly well thought through and collaborated with the incredible costume department.”
With these visual changes, Essiedu’s Snape is already shaping up to be a distinct interpretation of the beloved Hogwarts professor.
Harry Potter premieres on December 25 on HBO.