Director Mark Mylod Addresses Casting a Black Actor as Severus Snape in New Harry Potter Franchise: ‘It’s Not Woke

Harry Potter will be at the center of a heated debate until March 8, 2025. One of them concerns director Mark Miloud’s recent comments on the J.K. Rolling Books Famous television series. As production ramps up, Papa Icasse, a black British actor, has taken on the role of the mysterious Severus Snape in Snape and Control. Miloud, known for his work on Caliphate and The List, has recently addressed the controversy head-on, insisting that the decision is not a sign of a “woke” culture, but a deliberate artistic choice rooted in talent and vision. His remarks earlier this week at a press event in London gave an insight into the creative direction of this highly anticipated series, which is set to take the wizarding world by storm for a new generation.

Osessu’s first appearance was in late 2024, with a March 7, 2025 deadline confirming that the 34-year-old actor had signed on to film the broodmaster. Osess, who celebrated his roles in I Must, Her and Gangs of London, is a step up from the Alan Rigman figure immortalized in the original Warner Bruce films. With his painful attractiveness and careful weakness, Rickman’s Snape became a cultural test case that played a courageous pivot. Mylod, which is executive produced by, in addition to bidder Francesca Gardner, rejects the idea that this election reflects a political agenda. “He’s not woke,” he said. “It’s about finding the right actor to bring to life the fresh Severus — a person who carries the weight of his past and can complicate his soul.”

Melod explained that the audition for Ocsedu was due to its raw intensity and emotional depth, and that for the younger Snape, the character needed the right attributes. In contrast to the films that aired in the late 1930s and beyond, the HBO series matches the storyline of the books with Snape 31 in Harry Potter and the Wizard of Oz. Melod argues that Ocsedu’s era and energy offer the opportunity to explore the Snapes’ volatility—his bitterness toward James Potter, his unpopular love interest Lily Evans, and his oppressive loyalty to Dumbdor—in a way that feels immediate and visible. “Baba has this ability to go from cold precision to quiet sadness in his breath,” Miloud said. “That’s Snape to me, not a menu with a diversity review.”

The decision sparked a range of reactions. On platforms like X, some fans expressed discomfort and commented that Black Snape could change the dynamics of their background, especially the bullying he was subjected to at Hogwarts. Others accepted the scope, building on the confirmed group of odsedu and arguing that race does not need to identify a character in the wizarding world. Miloud admits, however, that the focus is still on storytelling. “We are not rewriting the history of Snape or its essence,” he said. “We are asking, ‘Who can embody the pain and brilliance of this man?’” The Pope can. This is the end.

The series takes on a growing volume that includes John Litjo as Damopdor and perhaps Janet Macter as McCongal, which indicates a mix of veterans and rising talent. The series, scheduled to shoot in August 2025 at Leadedden Studios, will begin by adapting all of the book’s seasons over a ten-year period. Miloud, while not all of the loops will run, will run the pilots and use the visual tone—the humorous aesthetic inspired by his work in the Caliphate, but was implemented with Hogwarts. It indicates that Snape will expand somewhat on the books and offer new scenes that move through his formative years and dual loyalties while keeping the narrative moving.

Mylod is thinking about the bigger picture, and believes the series is an opportunity to develop the Wizarding world without betraying its roots. “This isn’t about squares or hunting trends,” he said. “This is about honoring a story that we love and trust to do that.” For his part, Issoidu was silent, though a new X in one of the fan quotes like “pleased that Snape Shades is being researched” hints at his willingness to take on the challenge. With the first window looming in late 2026, Mylod’s defense of these casting tires is not a hint, but a promise — a Snape who knows performance, not politics, in a series that is shaping up to be the same and teasing it right away.