Disney/Warner Bros.It’s only been a minute since HBO confirmed Paapa Essiedu as the new Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter TV show, but there are already calls for Adam Driver to take his place.
On April 14, the network announced it had confirmed six key cast members for the upcoming series, including John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as McGonagall, Nick Frost as Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirrel, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.
There had already been talks of Essiedu stepping into the role as Snape, taking over from the late Alan Rickman, who portrayed the character in the Harry Potter movies. But now the news has been verified.
As we previously pointed out, the Black Mirror actor’s varied experience makes him the ideal candidate to tackle the Hogwarts professor’s emotional complexity and bring something fresh to the series. However, a number of fans have another actor in mind.
Harry Potter TV show sparks calls for Adam Driver to play Snape
While many have praised Essiedu’s casting, others have taken to social media to suggest Adam Driver instead, citing his experience in franchise roles and physical resemblance more in line with how Snape is described in J.K. Rowling’s original books.
Taking to X/Twitter, one wrote, “I have said this several times now, and I will say it again: Adam Driver should have been cast as Severus Snape. He would have been absolutely perfect and HBO and J.K. Rowling blew it.
“Sure, maybe Driver would have passed on the role if he was offered it. But I highly doubt he was even approached about it considering who they cast in the role. Incredibly disappointing.”
“Adam Driver should play Snape. It’s not too late @warnerbros,” said another, while a third added, “Not choosing Adam Driver to play Severus Snape in HBO’s adaptation of Harry Potter was a serious mistake on the part of the casting director.”
One Potterhead has even launched a change.org petition demanding that the Star Wars actor be cast instead, although it’s only received five signatures at the time of writing.
However, others have pointed out that not only does the physical description of Snape not necessarily dictate who can take on the role, but focusing too narrowly on appearance risks missing the point of the show – to retell the story and bring something fresh to the wizarding world.
One X/Twitter user shared the physical description of Snape from the Harry Potter books, saying he’s “a thin man with sallow skin, a large, hooked nose, and yellow, uneven teeth.”
“He has shoulder-length, greasy black hair which frames his face, and cold, black eyes,” it adds. “He wears black, flowing robes, which give him the appearance of ‘an overgrown bat.’”
The X/Twitter user went on to say, “Mind you, this is Snape’s physical description direct from the books, sallow (pale or sickly) skin, not white skin.
“Men used to go to war, and now some are so pathetic they whine about a fictional character’s skin color for a living.”
Another, who supports the casting choice, wrote, “Paapa Essiedu is actually perfect for this character.”
In the meantime, find out how to stream the Harry Potter movies, read about the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child rumor, and find more TV shows dropping this month.
