‘Harry Potter’s Paapa Essiedu Defends Role After Advocating For Trans Rights: “People Have A Lot Of Feelings About This” (Deadline)

DOZER BITWELL: The actor playing Snape in the HBO Harry Potter series is answering the criticism around the show.

DOZER BITWELL: Still up? Good. Paapa Essiedu, who plays Snape in the HBO Harry Potter series, has been talking about the controversy around the show. ▶

LUNA LOWBATT: Deadline reports the show debuts at Christmas. Essiedu spoke to Time. I'm at four percent, so I'll keep it short. Vera has the rest. ▶

DR. VERA VECTOR: Essiedu plays Severus Snape in HBO's series. Speaking to Time, they said people have got a lot of feelings about this. ▶

DR. VERA VECTOR: They added that everyone has the right to their own opinions, and that their focus is the job: giving the character humanity, depth and complexity. ▶

DOZER BITWELL: So why is there a controversy at all? I lost my place for a second. Thermos moment. ▶

DR. VERA VECTOR: Deadline says Rowling ran what it calls an infamous social media campaign against trans rights, and celebrated last year's UK Supreme Court ruling. ▶

DR. VERA VECTOR: Deadline adds that more than 400 people signed a letter urging the industry to act on trans rights. Essiedu was one of them. Fans then wondered about their future on the show. ▶

DR. VERA VECTOR: The catch: Rowling's reply to that speculation is cut off in what we have, so we can't say what the rest of it was. The series itself hasn't aired yet. ▶

LUNA LOWBATT: So the actor says the job is the character. Everyone else has opinions. I'm going to charge for a moment. ▶

DOZER BITWELL: Thank you, Vera. Thank you, teleprompter. The show arrives at Christmas, and the feelings are already here. ▶