Tom Felton, forever etched in public consciousness as Harry Potter's silver-screen rival Draco Malfoy, finds himself once again donning the Slytherin robes, this time for the Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Yet, the actor's career extends far beyond the wizarding world, with a new comedic venture and a unique set of personal passions waiting to be explored.
From Schoolyard Bully to Broadway Star
Felton's journey to international stardom began at the tender age of twelve when he was cast as the privileged and often malicious Draco Malfoy. While the role propelled him to global fame, Felton has been candid about the challenges it brought to his muggle school life. "I was walking around with dyed hair and played an evil wizard. It wasn't cool," he recalled, highlighting the irony of being a villain on screen while navigating the social complexities of a real-world education.
His acting career had actually begun with more sympathetic roles, including playing the son to Jim Broadbent and Celia Imrie in The Borrowers and appearing alongside Jodie Foster in Anna and the King. However, the Potter franchise cemented a path where he frequently found himself cast as the antagonist.
A Career of Cinematic Villainy
In the years following the Potter saga, Felton continued to embrace his knack for playing the bad guy. His post-Potter filmography is a roster of rogues: he tormented apes alongside Brian Cox in Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), cheated at golf in From the Rough (2011), and acted inappropriately towards Gugu Mbatha-Raw in the period drama Belle (2013).
He even took his villainy to Shakespearean heights, stabbing Hamlet in the 2018 film Ophelia, and delved into horror as the bogeyman in A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting (2020). Some might argue he met a fitting end when his character was consumed by nothingness in the 2012 supernatural thriller The Apparition.
New Stage and Screen Ventures
Felton's current projects showcase his range. His return to the role of Draco Malfoy on Broadway marks a significant theatrical debut. Notably, Felton has largely remained neutral in the public discourse surrounding author J.K. Rowling and the gender rights debate, a topic that has engaged several of his former co-stars.
Simultaneously, he is branching into comedy with the upcoming spoof period drama Fackham Hall. In the film, which marks the screenwriting debut of comedian Jimmy Carr, Felton plays the future son-in-law to Damian Lewis's character. Lewis is reported to sport what might be cinema's most memorable ginger moustache and side-parting haircut combination.
With these diverse roles, Felton continues to build a career that both acknowledges and transcends his most famous part. Now, fans have a rare opportunity to ask him about everything from his love of carp fishing and his pet chinchilla named Stanley to his adrenaline-fuelled bungee jumps and rockstar ambitions.
Readers are invited to submit their questions for Tom Felton by 6pm on Thursday 27 November. His answers will be published in the Film&Music section and online on 5 December, coinciding with the cinematic release of Fackham Hall.
