Jason Isaacs called out "racist" fans criticizing the casting of Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape in the upcoming 'Harry Potter' series.

Harry Potter star Jason Isaacs has defended Paapa Essiedu’s casting in the franchise’s new TV series against “racist” critics. Essiedu will play Severus Snape, the role portrayed in all eight films by the late Alan Rickman. His casting has prompted backlash for several reasons, though Isaacs put it bluntly while speaking at FanExpo Denver.