Deadline: Paapa Essiedu May Still Play Severus Snape in HBO's Harry Potter

Deadline reported that HBO is close to signing a deal with two actors for the upcoming Harry Potter series. British actor Paapa Essiedu is still the leading contender for the role of Severus Snape.

It is worth clarifying that Deadline also refers to rumors; there has been no official statement about the actor's approval for the role of the Potions professor. Recall that Paapa Essiedu made his debut on the big screen in the film Murder on the Orient Express and was nominated for an Emmy for his role in the series I May Destroy You. Rumors about his participation in the cast of the new Harry Potter appeared back in December 2024.

Deadline sources also named Janet McTeer as the main contender for the role of Minerva McGonagall in the upcoming series. The British actress is known to viewers for her roles in Wuthering Heights, The Woman in Black, and Maleficent.

It should be noted that in the Harry Potter film series from Warner Bros., Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall were played by Alan Rickman, who passed away in 2016, and Maggie Smith, who died in September last year.

Recently, American actor John Lithgow was officially approved for the role of Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series from HBO. The show will start in 2026.