Days after HBO released the trailer <\/a>for the forthcoming series adapted from J.K. Rowling\u2019s beloved books, comedian Kam Patterson appeared Saturday on \u201cWeekend Update\u201d as Professor Severus Snape \u2014 a character previously played by the late white actor Alan Rickman, but now being portrayed by Black actor Paapa Essiedu<\/a>.<\/p>\n After \u201cWeekend Update\u201d host Colin Jost introduced Snape, Patterson joked that the franchise\u2019s titular character was \u201cracist as hell.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe got this new kid. His name is Harry Potter, and he\u2019s racist as hell,\u201d Snape said. \u201cHarry Potter \u2014 or, the Proud Boy Who Lived \u2014 spent the whole year telling everybody that the school\u2019s only Black teacher was secretly evil.\u201d<\/p>\n Jost replied, referring to the plot of the first book in the series: \u201cI think he\u2019s just worried because he knows someone\u2019s trying to steal the Sorcerer\u2019s Stone.\u201d <\/p>\n Snape responded, \u201cSo somebody stole something, and the number one suspect is Black Snape?\u201d<\/p>\n As the audience laughed, Snape joked that he was used to other characters jumping to conclusions with racist undertones.<\/p>\n \u201cIt happens all the time,\u201d he said. \u201cI showed up at Hogwarts, and on the first day they looked at me and said, \u2018You\u2019re the professor of the Dark Arts.\u2019 I never even studied that! I majored in African Muggle Studies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe whole wizarding world is racist,\u201d Snape continued before joking about how Rowling\u2019s books included a Black character named Kingsley Shacklebolt, which he said was \u201ca name I\u2019m guessing they got out of the Wu-Tang name generator.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone\u2019s in these dignified robes. They dressed him up like he was selling cocoa butter incense out of a barbershop,\u201d he said about the character\u2019s portrayal in the original movies.<\/p>\n Jost joked, \u201cWell, for the very first time, I\u2019m starting to think J.K. Rowling might be problematic.\u201d<\/p>\n Snape went on to say, \u201cThe whole wizarding world is messed up. We have magic, we have wands that can do anything, and people in my world still have slaves,\u201d referring to the house elves in the series.<\/p>\n Patterson\u2019s appearance concluded with Snape\u2019s message to Harry Potter, referencing another plotline: \u201cYour mama was thick as hell, dog. I miss her so much.\u201d<\/p>\n Essiedu\u2019s casting <\/a>has raised eyebrows, especially after the release of the first trailer, partly due to Snape being a figure that Harry mistrusts due to his own assumptions. However, the casting also sparked a wave of racist backlash <\/a>against the actor over the fact that Snape was written as white.<\/p>\n Essiedu, 35, recently revealed that he has received online abuse that even led to death threats<\/a> over his casting. <\/p>\n![\"Kam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Snape.jpg\")
Kam Patterson played Professor Snape on a Weekend Update segment on ‘Saturday Night Live’ (NBC)![\"Paapa](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/dark-train-photography-severus-snape-web.png\")
Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape in ‘Harry Potter’ (HBO)<\/p>\n![\"Paapa](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Paapa-Essiedu-Snape-Alan-Rickman.jpg\")
Paapa Essiedu (left) is playing Professor Snape, who was previously played by Alan Rickman (right) (Getty Images \/ Warner Bros Pictures)<\/p>\n