Shakespearean stage actor Paapa Essiedu has revealed that he has received death threats since joining the HBO series Harry Potter, where he will play the character of Draco Snape, previously played by Alan Rickman. Despite the backlash and uncertainty surrounding his casting choice, Essayedu remains committed to using the opinions of others to his advantage in his career. He believes that the abuse fuels him and motivates him to make this character his own. Despite these threats, EssiedU has not reported any of the threats.