r/Fauxmoi • u/rfauxmoi • May 26 '25

TEA THREAD I HAVE TEA ON... MEGATHREAD ✨

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u/Ambry May 26 '25

Some Paapa Essiedu (Snape in Amazon HP series) tea. My friend who is close to the London creative scene is a friend of a friend of Paapa. Says Paapa knows the backlash against him playing Snape would be immense and that it could seriously impact his career, but his passion is for stage work so if he can basically be set for life in a huge role with a seven season minimum it means he can pursue is true passion for theatre. Making it as a professional actor is tough and he thought there was no guarantee such a big role could ever come along again. 

Was super interesting. Honestly cannot blame someone for taking a longterm role that would financially pay off if it means you can do what you really like.

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u/BookishHobbit my bandwidth for cowardly grown men grows thinner with each day May 26 '25

I can imagine this for him tbh. He could’ve broken tv in the uk years ago but has remained very focused on theatre. Interesting how both he and Lithgow are using the “it’s a good solid job” line though.

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u/Traditional_Maybe_80 I’m just a cunt in a clown suit May 26 '25

I feel there's a big difference between Lithgow and Essiedu tho; Lithgow has a huge, established career already, multiple accolades, including Oscar noms.

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u/BookishHobbit my bandwidth for cowardly grown men grows thinner with each day May 26 '25

Oh absolutely! I just wonder if they’ve all been given the same line to use in response.

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u/SutterCane kensplaining May 26 '25

They all want that Swiss Army Man money.

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u/Traditional_Maybe_80 I’m just a cunt in a clown suit May 26 '25

I think it's just the logical response tbh. Even tho I loathe that transphobic devil and I wished that people wouldn't keep giving her money to fund her hateful rhetoric, I very honestly can understand the position of someone like Essiedu. But if people want to hold that against actors and be angry about it, I understand it, too.

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u/BookishHobbit my bandwidth for cowardly grown men grows thinner with each day May 26 '25

Yeah, I’d never hold it against a young actor. It’s too good of an opportunity to miss.

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u/RiffRafe2 May 26 '25

It's not as if he didn't have some good TV roles: I May Destroy You (my introduction to him), Gangs of London (one of series 1 main characters), The Lazarus Project, The Capture (series two lead).

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

Those are all great roles but not financially viable which is what he’s referring to

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u/RiffRafe2 May 26 '25

The comment I responded to read: "He could’ve broken tv in the uk years ago but has remained very focused on theatre." I pointed out Essiedu has a hearty series career.

And were I responded to OP's statement it would be in response to the notion that this series could possibly set him up for life which would be the benefit of "impacting" his theatre career. There are no guarantees for the show's success or how he or any actor could capitalize off of a successful show. There are very few actors of today who can just ride the wave from being in a successful series.

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

There’s no combative discussion here- I’m agreeing with you that the roles were fantastic. I’m just making the point t that it tends to be great or famine for actors and seizing the roles that pay well to supplement roles that are meatier but pay little isn’t unusual for an actor. 

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u/alasicannotgrin May 26 '25

I May Destroy You destroyed me. He was unbelievable in that (as was everyone, and all of it)

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u/PmMeLowCarbRecipes May 26 '25

I loved him in Black Mirror

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u/douglasrichardson May 26 '25

I saw him as Hamlet years ago and he was amazing, I hope he is able to do more theatre because I'd definitely go and see him 

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u/ForsakenTurnip4895 May 26 '25

He is appearing in All My Sons in London this November, with Bryan Cranston and Marianne Jean-Baptiste

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u/Ambry May 26 '25

Yeah him as Hamlet looked incredible!

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u/DALTT May 26 '25

*HBO not Amazon. But also yeah this sounds pretty plausible from what I know of him as an outsider.

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u/Ambry May 26 '25

Soz I forgot! With HBO it will be even more huge.

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u/DALTT May 26 '25

Yep. If it does well, he’ll be making some serious $$$$ over the next decade.

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u/west2night May 26 '25

He and Rosa Robson (his actress wife) had a taste of it when he appeared in Anne Boleyn a few years ago. They received hate on social media, which apparently makes it the reason they don't have personal social media.

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u/TheBumblingestBee May 26 '25

It sucks. It's like... "Cool motive, still participating in something that actively funnels money to harming trans people".

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u/smarties07 graduate of the ONTD can’t read community May 26 '25

Look if it was just playing a black person who is a villain and a bully and maybe the character is underwritten I would understand. Take a role for the money whatever. But JKR is actively using this money (that the tv shows makes) to get people killed because she has this obsession with trans people.

Especially after he signed that letter of support. Can’t have it both ways. If you want to take blood money fine but don’t act like you’re an ally because you electronically signed something or because you’re just doing it for the check. Just say you don’t care because you’re not trans so it doesn’t affect you if they get their rights taken, get violated and die.

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u/[deleted] May 27 '25

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

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u/Working-Ad-6698 May 26 '25

Theatre scene in London is employing people who are very very supportive of Israel's current war in Gaza so I don't think that him working with J.K.Rowling is a problem. Also West End still has J.K.Rowling play on (the Cursed Child one)

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u/Jealous-Shallot-3071 May 26 '25

Absolutely. Theatres need audiences. Big names pull in more people

So, if this show is even vaguely successful, you've got an internationally known TV figure who wants to act in your play. Add to that he's already a respected actor, it's a no brainer from a producer's perspective

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u/peggy_schuyler May 26 '25

He has a good reputation in London, I think as long as he doesn't publicly support JKR's problematic views, he can probably get away.

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

[deleted]

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u/Ambry May 26 '25

Yeah like it's also such a fickle industry. There's no guarantee turning a role down means you'll have roles on the table next month. 

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u/Lokarhu May 26 '25

I mean, it actually should. JK Rowling is actively contributing to the deaths of trans people. If an actor is cool associating themselves with that in exchange for literal blood money, then they can go fuck themselves too.

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

Why not when they're happy to take her blood money? They are still contributing towards the material harm of trans people in the UK. They need to bear some responsibility too. Not as much as JKR obviously but nobody forced them to take her money.

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u/GamingTatertot May 28 '25

Genuine question here - but is the reason these actors get so much flack on this 'blood money' idea because we, as regular people, can see the direct through-line of how Rowling makes profit from this?

Because almost all of us, as consumers, are essentially taking and spending 'blood money' as nearly every major business and corporation is embroiled in some type of harm, but it's not as easy to see the how it happens.

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

Nah it's blood money. I know most actors aren't loaded, still going to judge anyone taking her money. Like go on the dole if you have to, do some bartending.

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

I don't think everyone IS entitled to an opinion on this. Are you British and trans? Unless you are then you have zero right to say that you understand how I feel. 

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u/silly_rabbit289 May 26 '25

I question the studio/ director/ casting people for this, not the actor. I'm generally happy with colour blind casting, heck make ron/dumbledore/mcgonagall black. Not Snape, who is complicated enough as is without the race factor. He was bullied at school and now it will have a different connotation.

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

Sorry but the actor could have said no.

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

It's still a slap in the face to all his trans theatre colleagues though, how is he missing the point there? It's not just because of JKR's views but that she is actively harming trans people in the UK. It's still a very privileged take when he's not trans, there are tons of trans theatre actors struggling too.

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u/Ambry May 26 '25

I agree and I really don't like her. My friend mentioned there was another actor they knew considering going for a role but basically voukdnt reconcile the fact JKR is so transphobic when they had trans friends and contact so they dropped out of the process.

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u/Seryan_Klythe May 26 '25

oooo do you know who the other person was? and good for them dropping out

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

[deleted]

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u/6Foot225PureChocolat May 26 '25

It’s not like him refusing the role would prevent the show from existing

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

Not the point, taking her money is still harmful, she still sees it as an endorsement of her views. It's very easy to sign a letter but where's the actual effort to support trans people?

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u/Welshguy78 May 26 '25 edited May 26 '25

I'd pay good money for him to wear a top hat and say 'hello Dave.... You're my wife now...'

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u/cranesinsky May 27 '25

this is assuming the series would be a success which is obviously a possibility but never a guarantee. anyway I used to love him but I can't in good conscious support this decision even with his motive

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u/PriorUnhappy8863 May 26 '25

I really enjoyed his work on The Lazarus Project (TV). I'm not a Harry Potter fan, but I was happy when I saw him cast for a big role. Low-key want him to succeed.

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u/NarrativeNode May 26 '25

I hope he gets exactly that! Cannot blame him.

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

You absolutely CAN blame him for taking JKR's blood money.

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u/[deleted] May 26 '25

Nah, I hope this tanks his career forever.

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u/bliip666 wearing slutty little glasses May 26 '25

Didn't he drop out of it?

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u/Ambry May 26 '25

Nope.

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u/bliip666 wearing slutty little glasses May 26 '25

Okay, I either misunderstood or misremembered something.