"They'll try and make you into a very certain type of thing"- When Paapa Essiedu gave his bold take on typecasting

Paapa Essiedu has been confirmed as one of the major characters in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series, and though the news has received a divisive response from fans, it will be a great experience to watch the talented actor take on the role of Severus Snape, originally portrayed by the legendary Alan Rickman in the movies.

What makes Paapa Essiedu an interesting prospect for this role is his ability and history of portraying so many different kinds of roles over his career, which has prospered on stage and on screen. From playing a time-traveling hitman in The Lazarus Project to playing a benevolent demon in Black Mirror's sixth season, it seems that Essiedu has already done it all.

One of the primary reasons behind the actor's drive is his reluctance to get typecast into a role, something that happens quite easily to young black actors. Discussing this in a 2023 interview with RadioTimes.com, Essiedu said:

"That's something that's always been very high on my list, because people will try and typecast you, particularly as a young Black actor, a young Black male actor....They'll try and make you into a very certain type of thing. Or they'll try and say, 'Oh, this is what Idris [Elba] did,' or, 'This is what Lennie James did,' or David Gyasi, or David Oyelowo... 'You should do that, as well.'"

He continued:

"The reason why they have gone on to have the careers they have is because they've been individual, and they've been conscientious in not allowing people to tell them what to do, and make them do the same thing again and again."

He further spoke about how the essence of acting lies in the ability to portray so many characters and emotions. Paapa Essiedu made it quite clear that he would continue to do a variety of roles, especially the kind that he hadn't done before.

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"We've just got to be brave enough to do something that you've not done before"- Paapa Essiedu on not wanting to be typecast

Over the years, many actors across the world have expressed their disappointment at being typecast. Paapa Essiedu was determined from the very start to not let that happen to him. This is why the actor has stuck to his ideals and has always tried out very different roles in his career.

Speaking about his idea of acting, the actor further elaborated in this same interview:

"That's certainly what I intend to do. I feel like, as actors, we're so lucky to work with so many different collaborators – writers, directors, other creatives. The choice is there, the ability to make choices is there. We've just got to be brave enough to do something that you've not done before and see if that sticks as well."

And this quest for doing different things and trying out roles that he has never done before led Paapa Essiedu to the intriguing role of Severus Snape in the upcoming Max TV series based on the Harry Potter franchise.

Of course, Essiedu will have to adapt his character in a way that remains faithful to the book and remains sufficiently different from the one Alan Rickman has done. Thankfully, Paapa Essiedu loves challenges just like this and it would be an interesting wait to see Essideu take on the role of Snape.