Paapa Essiedu is speaking out about the racist backlash and death threats he\u2019s received since being cast as Severus Snape in HBO\u2019s new Harry Potter series. In a recent interview, he said messages like quit or I\u2019ll murder you have been flooding his social media, calling the abuse emotionally difficult but also unfair to anyone simply doing their job.\n\nDespite the hate, Essiedu says it\u2019s only made him more determined to make the role his own and bring a fresh version of Snape to life. HBO says it anticipated strong reactions to the high-profile casting and has put social media guidance and security measures in place for the show\u2019s cast.