The Harry Potter movie series is one of the most beloved franchises in cinema history, with a fanbase that spans generations. With that in mind, it was natural that many would have various thoughts about Warner Bros.' decision to reboot Potter as a streaming TV series, which will eventually be available for HBO Max subscription holders. However, a significant portion of the controversy has centered on a particular casting decision, and Jason Isaacs, a veteran of the Potter films, is no longer having it.
A lot has been made about the casting of actor Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape. Since Essiedu is Black and Snape is traditionally written as white, the casting decision has been rebuked by a certain corner of the Internet. While speaking at FanExpo Denver (via Collider), Jason Isaacs -- who played the role of Lucius Malfoy in the films based on J.K. Rowling's fantasy books, chalked up the criticisms to racism. Isaacs' perspective is derived from his firm belief that fans can't question the talent that Essiedu possesses as an actor. Isaacs said…
Paapa Essiedu is one of the best actors I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve seen some people online who are being rude about him. What they’re being is racist.
There was a concerted effort on the producers' parts to cast young actors to play the teachers at Hogwarts on the show. Honestly, that's more in line with the way the characters are written in the books. Many have claimed that this attempt to cast more book-accurate characters was their problem with the casting of a Black actor as Snape. However, not everybody buys that argument.
On the whole, the cast that’s been put together for the new Harry Potter series looks rock solid. For his part, Jason Isaacs seems to be looking forward to the show. He thinks any naysayers will have to eat their words once they see what the cast, including Paapa Essiedu, are capable of. Isaacs continued…
All the cast of the new Harry Potter TV series are amazing. They will be swallowing their tongues, hopefully — you know, their digital tongues — when they see what [Paapa] does on screen.
The three actors playing the key trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione are newcomers, and most of the rest of the cast don’t exactly have movie star status. Albus Dumbledore portrayer John Lithgow is arguably the biggest name in the cast so far. Nevertheless, the majority of the ensemble are solid actors who have done great work before. While some still question whether a Harry Potter series is something the world needs, considering how good the movies are, nobody is going to be able to accuse the new show's creatives of not putting time and effort into casting.
A number of fans seem to be withholding judgment until the Harry Potter series debuts sometime in 2026. Hopefully, the ensemble proves to be as great on screen as they all collectively read on paper. Also, given Jason Isaacs' enthusiasm, I can't wait to hear his initial thoughts once the show finally premieres.
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