How Snape Is Described In The Harry Potter Books (And How The Film And Show Actors Compare)

The cast of the next HBO film Harry Potter show is of utmost importance, and now that HBO has revealed who they're looking to play Snape, Now is as good a time as any to see what the source material says about the iconic Potions professor. In 2023, Warner Bros. announced that it would be developing a Harry Potter TV show alongside HBO. Just like the original films, which were shown from 2001 to 2011, the series will have each season focused on a book, with the actors essentially growing with each episode.

There are high expectations for every HBO character Harry Potter, but one notable character is Severus Snape. At the beginning of the series, Snape is introduced as the cruel Potions professorwho immediately dislikes Harry. It is later revealed that Snape was bullied by Harry's father and was in love with his mother. At the end of Harry Potter, Snape is characterized as a double agent who pretends to be a Death Eater to make Dumbledore's plan happen. To say the least, Snape is an important character and his appearance is part of the package.

Severus Snape's Harry Potter Book Description Explained

What's important about Snape's appearance

When it comes to Harry Potter books, where Snape originated as a character, the Hogwarts professor has a fairly solid physical appearance. He is described as a thin man with sickly-looking skin, a large hooked nose, and greasy black hair that reaches his shoulders. In terms of clothes, Snape usually wears a long black cape that makes him look like a bat.. As a young man, he is also known for having a restless gait reminiscent of a spider, along with the rest of his negative traits.

In general, Snape's appearance in Harry Potter gives readers an immediate clue as to what kind of person he is. For the most part, Snape's characteristics are characterized as bad or ugly, which likely reflects who he is on the inside, although Snape is eventually redeemed at the end of the book. What is probably the most important aspect of Snape's appearance is the darkness within him. His dark hair and dark clothes tell the audience that he is not a normal, cheerful Hogwarts professor, but an enemy to watch out for. At the very least, he is a character shrouded in darkness and mystery.

How Alan Rickman Compares to the Harry Potter Books' Version of Snape

How Alan Rickman Made Snape Better

Alan Rickman played Snape in all eight Harry Potter movies, and it mostly fits the look of the books. In the films, Rickman has shoulder-length black hair, a pale face with a large nose, and a black cape that never changes, even over the course of eight films. Notably, Rickman's hair never looks greasy and his skin doesn't look pale, but every other criteria in the book matches up perfectly.. Of course, this isn't the only aspect of Rickman that made him a fantastic Snape.

In fact, what made Rickman such a great Snape was the personality he brought to the role. For example, your low, husky voice is a staple of Harry Potter films. This heightened the tension in all of his scenes and made him seem unfazed. Additionally, Rickman gave Snape a dramatic flair. Instead of walking around like an anxious spider, Rickman gave Snape a fierce walk and confidence that book Snape may have lacked. His cape flying behind him might have looked silly, but Rickman owned it. Arguably, these elements were much more important than Rickman's face.

How the Harry Potter TV Show's Take on Snape Compares to the Books and Films

What Snape's race means to Harry Potter

At this point, there has been no confirmed casting for any character in the Harry Potter TV program. However, it was revealed that the series is eyeing actor Paapa Essiedu for the role of Snape. Essiedu is a British actor who has received acclaim for his performances in Gangs of London, I can destroy you, and The Lazarus Project. Notably, Essiedu is black, which may cause some controversy among some Harry Potter audiences. However, Snape's skin color is not important in the grand scheme of things. Harry Potter, and does not affect your appearance or character.

If Essiedu joined Harry Potter cast, he would obviously look very different on the show than he does in real life. Presumably, Essiedu would be given a proper costume with hair and makeup. Even though it wasn't closer to the book's description, the key to Snape's good performance is personality. If Essiedu can embody Professor Snape's ferocious cruelty, then he will likely succeed. Therefore, Snape's race should not be up for debate on HBO. Harry Potter, because it's Essiedu's performance that really counts.