Paapa Essiedu, known to some as the new face in the Harry Potter reboot, stepped away from that project last year to film Babies, a small but powerful BBC drama about pregnancy and baby loss. The show comes from writer director Stefan Golaszewski and stays mostly inside the characters' flat, with a close focus on how couples cope.

Why the role hit him hard

Essiedu says some scenes left a long impression. "When we had the physical manifestations of baby loss within the home, well there are still days where I think about some of the things I saw and heard in those scenes," he said. He added this was because the moments felt "so real and so authentic."

What the show looks like

  • Essiedu plays Stephen, a man navigating loss with his wife Lisa, who is played by Siobhán Cullen.
  • Charlotte Riley and Jack Bannon appear as another couple at the start of their relationship.
  • The series is produced by Snowed-In Productions, the company behind Mrs Wilson.
  • The tone mixes raw emotion with humor and ordinary domestic detail, similar to Golaszewski's earlier TV work.

How it felt on set

Filming intense scenes over a month was, as Essiedu put it, "a bit of a head f**k in terms of charting a character arc." He balanced those tough days with moments he called joyful, funny, and plain ordinary. He praised Golaszewski for a clear vision and a steady set, saying that clarity made him feel safe while doing difficult work.

Preparing for the roles

Siobhán Cullen described using the scripts as a blueprint, but she also reached out to people close to her for real stories. She asked friends to send voice notes and videos of their birth experiences, then spent hours listening. That research helped her capture details that scripts alone might miss.

The creator's view

Golaszewski said Babies is not strictly autobiographical, though he has experienced similar issues. He explained he wants his shows to produce an emotional response and to find a human connection through relationships. He avoided stating a single message, saying his goal is to serve the viewer who wants to feel something.

Context around Essiedu

Essiedu has earned acclaim for roles in series such as I May Destroy You and Gangs of London. His casting as Severus Snape for the new Harry Potter project brought controversy and threats, including race-fueled death threats, which he has spoken about. Representatives for Babies said he avoided Harry Potter questions at the Series Mania festival.

Essiedu said that despite the public attention surrounding his casting elsewhere, on the Babies production he felt protected by a strong working environment and clear leadership.

Babies premieres on the BBC next week and is screening in the international panorama section at Series Mania.