“You know what was the most humiliating part?”: Snape actor fell off a broom during Harry Potter filming
Aleksandr Manin
In an interview with Esquire, actor Paapa Essiedu, who plays Professor Snape in HBO’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, recounted an awkward moment on set.
There’s a sequence with a lot of Quidditch, and my character has to fly on a broom. They built an entire stadium. I’d seen scenes where Harry flies on wires. But for me, the broom was attached to the end of a big mechanical arm. I was sitting on it — not very comfortably, but fine. And then I fell. I was left hanging on the broom three meters above the ground. And you know what was the most humiliating part? No one even laughed. Everyone just stood there with straight faces. Hanging in the air while a silent crowd watches you — not a great feeling.
IInterestingly, a similar scene does exist in the original book — Snape referees a Quidditch match and flies above the pitch. The series appears to expand on that moment, giving it a larger and more dynamic on-screen treatment.
Another notable detail: Essiedu admitted he has never watched the original Harry Potter films. However, he grew up reading the books — he was the same age as the characters and stood in line at Waterstones, the UK’s largest bookstore chain, where thousands of fans gathered during midnight releases. According to him, this helps him bring a fresh take to the role, unburdened by the portrayal of the late Alan Rickman.
The series is set to premiere on HBO on Christmas Day 2026. The main cast includes Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, and Alastair Stout as Ron. The first teaser trailer dropped yesterday.
HBO also released the first teaser, which has already gathered nearly 5 million views on YouTube in a day. Audience reactions are divided: 177,000 likes versus 70,000 dislikes. Some are excited to return to the wizarding world, while others struggle to accept the new cast. “My brain replaces their faces with the original actors in every scene,” one user wrote. “It feels like HBO kicked us out of our home and moved someone else in,” added another.
Are you looking forward to the new series — or will Snape always be Alan Rickman for you? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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