Paapa Essiedu Reaffirms Trans Rights, Declines Rowling Debate

Paapa Essiedu said he does not want to discuss J.K. Rowling, while reiterating that transgender people and others deserve respect, dignity and safety. The actor, who plays Severus Snape in HBO’s forthcoming Harry Potter series, said he wanted to speak for his own beliefs rather than become a spokesperson for Rowling or contribute to a “them and us” divide.

In an interview, Essiedu said his position was that trans people, queer people and people of all creeds and colours should be treated with respect and dignity and be safe at work, at home and in public. He described those principles as the basis for how he lives, and said he was not there to discuss Rowling’s politics.

Essiedu’s casting and support for transgender rights have drawn attention amid public disagreement over Rowling’s views. He signed an open letter supporting transgender, nonbinary and intersex people. Rowling responded in a post on X, saying she could not dismiss Essiedu from the series and would not do so even if she could. She said she opposed taking away people’s jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from hers.

Essiedu has also spoken about receiving racist abuse after his...