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“He’s Racist?”: SNL’s ‘Black Snape’ Skit Roasts HBO Harry Potter Reboot Casting
After facing intense backlash over the casting of Black Severus Snape in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potterseries, the debate has now made its way into mainstream comedy.
On April 4, Saturday Night Live addressed the controversy head-on in a skit, turning one of the internet’s most discussed casting choices into satire.
As the segment aired shortly after the show’s trailer sparked heated reactions online, SNL’s take has added another layer to the ongoing discussion.
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Highlights
- Saturday Night Live tackled the HBO Harry Potter casting controversy with a "Weekend Update" skit.
- The sketch followed intense online debate and real-life threats directed at actor Paapa Essiedu, who was cast as Severus Snape.
- The segment used humor to highlight deeper issues within the franchise.
Saturday Night Live’s Black Snape skit takes a brutal dig at the casting debate in the Harry Potter reboot
Image credits: nbcsnl
During the Weekend Update segment, comedian Kam Patterson appeared as Professor Snape, directly referencing the reboot’s controversial casting.
In the upcoming show, the character is being played by Paapa Essiedu.
Introduced by Colin Jost, Patterson began by switching between formal and casual speech. “Good evening, Mr. Jost—nah, I’m playing. I don’t talk like that, bro. It’s called code-switching,” he said.
Image credits: nbcsnl
When asked about his year at Hogwarts, his version of Snape responded, “Not great. We got this new kid. His name is Harry Potter, and he’s racist as hell.”
He went further, adding, “Harry Potter—or the Proud Boy Who Lived—spent the whole year telling everybody that the school’s only Black teacher was secretly evil.”
When Jost suggested Harry might just be suspicious because of the Sorcerer’s Stone, Patterson pushed back, stating, “So somebody stole something, and the number one suspect is Black Snape? They didn’t even look at the white guy in the turban.”
Professor Snape comments on the trailer for the new Harry Potter series pic.twitter.com/wiR4YV4sWA
— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) April 5, 2026
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“So offensive. He’s got a wizard on the back of his head,” referencing how the villain Voldemort appears on the back of Professor Quirrell’s head.
The joke aimed directly at the major concern raised online, where several netizens questioned that changing Snape’s race could unintentionally shift how certain storylines are perceived.
The SNL skit further called out Hogwarts, J.K. Rowling, and wider issues in the story
Image credits: Dave Benett/Getty Images
Patterson’s version of Snape further went on to question the world of Harry Potter itself.
“The whole wizarding world is racist,” he said, pointing out that he was one of the only Black characters at Hogwarts.
He also mocked the name Kingsley Shackebolt, adding that it sounded like it came from a “Wu-Tang name generator” and questioned the implications behind it.
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At one point, Jost joked, “I’m starting to think J.K. Rowling might be problematic,” leaning into ongoing criticism around the author.
Furthermore, Patterson’s Snape brought up the issue of house elves, stating, “We have magic… and people in my world still have slaves,” highlighting another long-debated aspect of the series.
While the jokes were exaggerated, they reflected real conversations happening online.
As clips of SNL’s skit went viral online, netizens’ reactions remain divided
Image credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
“Even SNL sees how this change will be problematic,” one user wrote.
“SNL trying to get in on the Black Snape memeing while it’s hot,” another added.
Some viewers felt the show simply echoed internet discourse. “They stole this from Twitter,” one comment read.
Following up Alan Rickman is basically an impossible task. pic.twitter.com/lQHkvbiLMG
— Feyi (@FeyiKeta) March 25, 2026
Others focused on the execution. “It was pretty funny. Could’ve been executed a little better, but the overall point was made,” a viewer wrote.
At the same time, criticism continued. “Yet another reason not to watch the series. Should’ve left well enough alone with the movies,” one person added.
SNL’s mocking of Harry Potter and Professor Snape came following the casting, which had already been criticised online
@manwhoreharry BULLYING. not rivalry, not teenage mistakes… full on BULLYING. FOR. FUN. @snezh⋆˚꩜｡ @siera △⃒⃘ @ִֶָ. ..𓂃gray ࣪ ִֶָ🪽་༘࿐ @➤ jane࿐ ࿔ @songforchi #fyp#viral#harrypotter#severussnape#jamespotter♬ ride – favsoundds
Me when Harry’s dad bullied the only black kid in Hogwarts: pic.twitter.com/dbp20Ha5g2
— Trabalho escravo da silva (@henrique_dutt) March 25, 2026
Image credits: mcast139
As reported by Bored Panda, the skit comes after HBO’s Harry Potter teaser sparked intense backlash.
Paapa Essiedu’s casting as Snape drew strong reactions, with some fans arguing it strayed from the book’s description.
“Snape deserved better…. this feels like a downgrade nobody asked for,” said one critic, while another said, “I think Snape should have stayed as a white n*zi, and the description of him making children scared of him sounds a bit messed up.”
Image credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
However, others defended the choice.
“Paapa Essiedu actually looks menacing here,” said one.
Following the backlash, Essieud later revealed he had received threats over the role, highlighting how extreme the response had become.
“I’ve been told, ‘Quit, or I’ll m*rder you,’” he told The Times
Image credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
“The reality is that if I look at Instagram, I will see somebody saying, ‘I’m going to come to your house and k*ll you,’” he said.
At the same time, others pointed out that Snape’s character, already written as harsh and disliked early on, could be interpreted differently depending on how the audience approaches the reboot.
“Even SNL sees how this change will be problematic,” wrote one user
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LakotaWolf (she/her) 4 minutes ago
Wow, the commenter who said (paraphrasing) "The obsession with Harry Potter 25 years later is still so weird" is spot-on to how I feel about it. When HP was at its height, I didn't understand the adults who ran around in public wearing scarves the color of their "chosen school" screaming "I'm House Hufflepuff!" every 30 seconds. I still don't understand the obsession with it. It's a fun IP, I'm not denying that, but the deep and abiding obsession with it is starting to feel a little weird. Yes, there are obsessions about a lot of IPs, but usually NEW content gets made from those IP, not the same story with the same characters over and over and over again. Maybe I'm harsh because I never read the books (was too old for their targeted audience when they came out) and I was never a rabid maniac over the movies (saw them, they're all right, nothing great.) Or maybe it's because I'm tired of the same old Heroic But Oppressed And Harassed Magical Little Boy Who Is The Chosen One trope XD
Bored Jellyfish 12 minutes ago
Kam Patterson absolutely NAILED this! Though honestly I wouldn’t care if almost the entire wizarding cast was black… except it’s already been done. “Here’s a wand with a silencer on it. Why?! But I ask again… WHY?” 😂
LakotaWolf (she/her) 4 minutes ago
Wow, the commenter who said (paraphrasing) "The obsession with Harry Potter 25 years later is still so weird" is spot-on to how I feel about it. When HP was at its height, I didn't understand the adults who ran around in public wearing scarves the color of their "chosen school" screaming "I'm House Hufflepuff!" every 30 seconds. I still don't understand the obsession with it. It's a fun IP, I'm not denying that, but the deep and abiding obsession with it is starting to feel a little weird. Yes, there are obsessions about a lot of IPs, but usually NEW content gets made from those IP, not the same story with the same characters over and over and over again. Maybe I'm harsh because I never read the books (was too old for their targeted audience when they came out) and I was never a rabid maniac over the movies (saw them, they're all right, nothing great.) Or maybe it's because I'm tired of the same old Heroic But Oppressed And Harassed Magical Little Boy Who Is The Chosen One trope XD
Bored Jellyfish 12 minutes ago
Kam Patterson absolutely NAILED this! Though honestly I wouldn’t care if almost the entire wizarding cast was black… except it’s already been done. “Here’s a wand with a silencer on it. Why?! But I ask again… WHY?” 😂
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