Fantasy Advent Day 7: Why Snape should not be cast on looks alone

Welcome back to Fantasy Advent 2024. I'm going to come out with an opinion that may not be popular, but I am here to render a personal preference and lay out my reasons for feeing this way. I receive Google alerts when Harry Potter is mentioned and a llot of the notifications have been on the subject of who should replace Paapa Essiedu as the rumored actor to play Severus Snape. Here is my opinion: There is no wrong way to represent a character if the actor is sufficiently skilled.

Putting a face to a character

I do remember quipping recently that Paapa's hair is too good for him to be Severus Snape, but it was a joke about enjoying his grooming, not judging his suitability for a role. This introduction is to admit that I have expressed opinions on a superficial level before tallking about why that's not what should matter.

I am reminded of years ago when Noma Dumezweni was cast as Hermione Granger in the original cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. She had played a wonderful character in Doctor Who, so I could see her taking on a droll and intelligent role such as Hermione with her excellent skill. I was lucky enough to see her perform as Hermione when she moved to the Broadway scene from the West End.

On the other hand, we had people who quoted the book at the author to explain to her why a person of color could not be the right casting choice. This was years before I personally heard the term "woke," but similar claims were abundant online. Never mind that shew as a Laurence Oliver Award-winning actress on the stage and an accomplished performer in other mediums. Tweaking our expectation of the bushy-haired Caucasian daughter of dentists could not be supported. Luckily, this didn't stop her from being fantastic

In the wake of the rumor that Paapa would be cast as the greasy-haired Potions Master, fan casting has been mentioned. One title said, "'Harry Potter' Casting Rumor Mill Hits Overdrive" while another reported that "Harry Potter Fans Slam New HBO Castings: 'Why Do They Do This?'" People want to play up how divisive the rumored casting of another diverse cast member will be.

We've talked about the rumors here. Paapa has a great body of work behind him and a promising career ahead of him. Like Alan Rickman, he is an acclaimed Shakespearean actor.

But "Adam Driver is Fans' #1 Choice to Play Snape in the HBO Series." says Screenrant.com in an article dated over three months ago and that is gaining new attention. Earlier than that, Looper drew attention to Adam Driver in fan art. As a fan of Star Wars, I am intrigued by using Kylo Ren for another strikingly sinister role, but I am not looking for Severus Snape in every sallow actor with black hair.

I see Paapa's background in playing Hamlet and King Lear and remember that Snape is a master secret-keeper. He also requires irony in his performance and Paapa has a background in humorous works as well.

Most importantly, HBO has confirmed no roles so far. There are headlines out there claiming to speak for all fans, but this fan at least is waiting to know firm details before getting her wand in a knot.