For those who might have been living under a rock, Harry Potter is getting the reboot treatment with a brand new ensemble cast bringing the magical world of Hogwarts to life later this year. One of the most talked-about stars of the new HBO series is 36-year-old Paapa Essiedu, who will play Severus Snape, the complex professor first imagined for the big screen by the late Alan Rickman.
Last week, fans were treated to a trailer for the forthcoming series and a first look at Paapa in character as the antagonistic potions master. While the take on Harry Potter has received mixed responses from long-term fans, Paapa has promised his version of Snape will not try to be a copycat of the original films.
"I think Alan Rickman was one of the greatest actors that this country ever produced… no one could do Alan Rickman as well as Alan Rickman could do it – so why would I try to do that?" he recently told Red Magazine. "But I would suggest that it’s unlikely that someone else can do Paapa Essiedu as well as Paapa Essiedu can do it, so that’s what I’m gonna do.
© Lara Cornell/HBOHe added: "Obviously, I respect the legacy and the work that has come before me, but I’m very excited about the steps forward and remaking it in a new space."
While we'll have to wait until the series drops in December to once again board the Hogwarts Express, here's all you need to know about the new Professor Snape's life away from the camera, from his heartbreaking family loss to his marriage to a well-known ITV star.
Family life
Paapa was raised in Walthamstow, East London by his mother, while his father lived in Ghana. Paapa described himself as a "happy kid" who lived "quite a small life" in London.
When he was just 14, he suffered the loss of his father. Six years later, his grief was compounded when his mother sadly passed away. "I would really love to know my parents as an adult. I lost my dad when I was 14 and my mum when I was 20," he told The Guardian when asked what the one thing he would change about his past was.
Paapa admitted his biggest accomplishment was managing to finish his education at drama school after his mother died in his first year, "because that was really difficult."
Connection to famous actress
© FilmMagic for HBO/HBO MaxWhile Paapa started out wanting to pursue medicine when he was younger, he ended up pivoting to acting after starring in a school production – and the rest is history. He landed himself a spot at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he would become close to a future famous star.
The Harry Potter star has been friends with actress Michaela Coel for more than a decade since their days at drama school, and went on to star in her 2020 drama series, I May Destroy You, which earned him a BAFTA nomination.
"I always remind people that even though she was my mate she didn’t even initially want to cast me, it was the casting director that fought for me and she was like, 'Really?'" he told Red Magazine, calling the experience of going the production with her as a friend "a kind of cherry on top."
Paapa admitted he would love to work with the actress again, but explained she's "primarily my friend, she’s like my sister, so it would never be conditional of our relationship, it will only ever be a bonus to the gift that I have from just knowing her".
He's married to an ITV star
© Getty ImagesPaapa has found love with another star of the screen. The actor is married to English comedian and actress Rosa Robson, who is best known for her role on the ITV2 sitcom Buffering. The couple reportedly tied the knot in 2023 after seven years of dating and have kept an incredibly low profile over the years with only a handful of red carpet and event appearances.
Wedding celebrant Jennifer Patrice later revealed on Instagram that the pair said "I do" at the Battersea Arts Centre, "on an epic day, one of the hottest of that year." The newlyweds looked loved-up at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards in November 2023. A few months later, they made a rare public appearance at Milan Fashion Week in January 2024.
