Paapa Essiedu Movies and TV Shows: Full Filmography

Paapa Essiedu went from the RSC stage to Emmy nominations in three years. His breakthrough came with dual roles in Gangs of London and I May Destroy You in 2020, and his profile has since exploded with appearances in Black Mirror’s Demon 79 and The Outrun.

Known For: I May Destroy You (2020), The Outrun (2024), Men (2022) · Spouse: Rosa Robson · Notable Stage Role: Hamlet (RSC) · Streaming: Prime Video, Netflix · Highest-Rated Film: The Outrun (82% RT)

What is Paapa Essiedu known for?

Paapa Essiedu has built a reputation as one of Britain’s most versatile dramatic actors, equally at home on the RSC stage and in prestige television. His screen career took off in 2020 when he appeared in two major series simultaneously — Gangs of London on Sky Atlantic and the BBC’s I May Destroy You, the latter a ground-breaking drama about Black British experiences that earned him Emmy and BAFTA nominations.

Essiedu’s filmography spans horror (Men, 2022), fantasy (Genie, 2023), and awards-worthy drama (The Outrun, 2024). On streaming platforms, he’s become a familiar face: Gangs of London seasons 1-2 landed on Netflix, while his Black Mirror role in Demon 79 introduced him to a global audience when the episode premiered on June 15, 2023.

Early career and breakout roles

Essiedu began his television career with the role of Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2016), followed by Otto in The Miniaturist (2017) and Nate Akindele in Channel 4’s Kiri (2018). He appeared as Ed Washburn in BBC One’s Press (2018) before landing his breakthrough role as Alex Dumani in Gangs of London (2020–2022), a crime drama that drew 2.23 million viewers for its first episode.

That same year, he portrayed Kwame in I May Destroy You — a role that showcased his ability to handle complex, emotionally demanding material. The series earned him nominations from both the Primetime Emmy Awards and the British Academy Television Awards.

Key credits from IMDb and Wikipedia

Beyond television, Essiedu appeared in George Boleyn in Anne Boleyn (2021) on Channel 5, George in The Lazarus Project (2022–2023), and Isaac Turner in The Capture (2022–2026). His film credits include Men (2022) directed by Alex Garland, Bernard Bottle in Genie (2023), and Daynin in The Outrun (2024).

Paapa Essiedu Movies

Essiedu’s film career began modestly with a policeman role in Murder on the Orient Express (2017), Kenneth Branagh’s all-star adaptation of Agatha Christie’s mystery. His subsequent filmography spans genres, with mixed critical reception.

The pattern here is clear: Essiedu’s critical success tracks inversely with his streaming popularity, with The Outrun earning the best reviews while Genie dominated viewership charts despite poor reception.

The Outrun (2024)

The Outrun represents Essiedu’s strongest critical showing. The drama, starring Saoirse Ronan, earned an 82% Rotten Tomatoes score — his highest-rated film to date. Essiedu plays Daynin, a character in a story based on Amy Liptrot’s memoir about recovery and isolation on Orkney.

Men (2022)

In Alex Garland’s surreal horror film, Essiedu appeared in a project that divided critics but attracted attention for its bold visual style. Men earned a 69% Rotten Tomatoes score, landing in more positive than negative territory overall.

Genie (2023)

Genie proved to be Essiedu’s most heavily streamed title in 2024, with strong performance on FlixPatrol’s popularity metric. However, the film received poor reviews, holding just a 31% Rotten Tomatoes score. Essiedu played Bernard Bottle in this fantasy comedy that struggled critically.

Murder on the Orient Express

Essiedu made his feature film debut as a policeman in Kenneth Branagh’s star-studded Murder on the Orient Express (2017), working alongside actors including Johnny Depp, Kenneth Branagh, and Daisy Ridley.

Paapa Essiedu TV Shows

Television has been Essiedu’s strongest platform. From early supporting roles to leading parts, his TV career demonstrates consistent upward momentum, with roles spanning crime drama, period pieces, and prestige limited series.

I May Destroy You

Michaela Coel’s ground-breaking series gave Essiedu one of his most acclaimed roles as Kwame, a character whose storyline addressed underrepresented experiences within the broader conversation around sexual consent and Black British identity. The role earned him Primetime Emmy and BAFTA Television Award nominations.

Black Mirror

Essiedu appeared as Gaap in Demon 79, the fifth and final episode of Black Mirror season 6, which premiered on Netflix on June 15, 2023. In the episode written by Charlie Brooker and Bisha K. Ali and directed by Toby Haynes, Essiedu plays a demon from the underworld who takes the form of Bobby Farrell from Boney M.

Gangs of London

Essiedu starred as Alex Dumani in Gangs of London (2020–2022), a British crime drama that debuted with 2.23 million viewers for its first episode on Sky Atlantic. The series gained wider reach when seasons 1-2 became available on Netflix, introducing the show to international audiences.

The Capture and The Lazarus Project

Essiedu appeared as Isaac Turner in The Capture (2022–2026), a crime thriller exploring surveillance and surveillance society, and as George in The Lazarus Project (2022–2023), a time-looping sci-fi series that ranked as his second most-streamed title in 2024.

Is Paapa Essiedu really playing Snape?

Rumors surfaced that Essiedu would portray Severus Snape in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television adaptation, a casting that would make him the first Black actor in the role. Wikipedia lists this as a planned role with medium confidence.

However, HBO has not officially confirmed this casting. The rumored role generated significant fan discussion and speculation, particularly given the franchise’s history of casting choices and the ongoing public debate between J.K. Rowling and former cast members including Daniel Radcliffe over trans rights.

Rumors and J.K. Rowling comments

J.K. Rowling has made partial remarks about Essiedu’s potential portrayal, though the full extent of her comments remains unclear. Daniel Radcliffe and other actors have publicly ruptured with Rowling over her stance on trans issues, creating a complex backdrop for any Harry Potter casting announcements.

Paapa Essiedu Harry Potter links

The connection between Essiedu and Harry Potter remains speculative pending official confirmation from HBO. Given his proven dramatic range — from Emmy-nominated roles to period dramas — Essiedu would bring significant depth to a character as complex as Snape, whose backstory involves betrayal, redemption, and moral ambiguity.

Paapa Essiedu’s Stage Career

Before his screen success, Essiedu built his reputation in theater, particularly with the Royal Shakespeare Company. His stage work established him as a classical actor of considerable promise and helped land his first television roles.

First black actor to play Hamlet

Essiedu made history as one of the first Black actors to play Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company, a milestone that positioned him as a significant new talent in British classical theater. The role required the vocal control and emotional range that translated effectively to his television work.

RSC roles and acclaim

Beyond Hamlet, Essiedu appeared in King Lear with the RSC. His classical training shows in his screen work — the precision of his performances in I May Destroy You and Demon 79 reflects the discipline developed on stage.

The implication: Essiedu’s stage credentials gave him the technical foundation that distinguishes his television performances from peers who skipped classical training.

What fans and critics say

“His screen breakthrough came in 2020 with his role in BBC One’s I May Destroy You, earning nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award and British Academy Television Award.”

Wikipedia Editors (Encyclopedic summary)

“The brilliant Paapa Essiedu is in ‘Demon 79’, the exciting final episode of ‘Black Mirror’. Paapa plays Gaap, a demon from the underworld.”

Yakety Yak (Entertainment news outlet)

“Sky Atlantic’s British gangster drama starring The Lazarus Project’s Paapa Essiedu and Peaky Blinders’ Joe Cole is now available to watch on Netflix.”

Digital Spy (TV news outlet)

Related reading: Tom Welling Movies and TV Shows · Russell Tovey Movies and TV Shows

Paapa Essiedu stars alongside Jodie Comer in the new BBC One drama Smoke TV series, a Yorkshire-set mystery from an acclaimed director.

Frequently asked questions