Tom Felton played the role of Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, and he has reached out to the new actor who will portray the same role in the new reboot series. Tom felt it was important to offer some basic support to the new and young cast as they come into a world of film with an already strong legacy. He recently discussed his contact with Lox Pratt, the actor playing the new version of Draco Malfoy in the upcoming Harry Potter reboot for HBO, during his appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.
Felton explained how, when he was a young actor, it was difficult for him to come into this huge production and that he wanted to offer him something uplifting since the other actor was in the same situation as when Felton began his acting career.
According to Felton, before the first movie was even filmed years ago, the original cast members did not have the internet, did not face as much pressure from fans, and had little or no experience in films. According to him, the new cast is set to come in and start doing their job in a totally different environment. He didn’t want to provide any formal type of advice to the young actor; he wanted to simply give him support. He simply provided his phone number, along with his address, so that the young actor, along with his parents, could contact him at any time during the whole process.
Felton added that his intention was not to overwhelm Pratt, and he did not want to dictate his actions. He simply encouraged him to enjoy himself while taking pictures. He joked with Pratt and said, “try to steal as many props as you can,” because they might actually have value in the future. The significant point that Felton was trying to convey to Pratt was that he will always be there for him if he needed any inspiration or questions answered by him. He said to Pratt,
“But also, if you do need a word of encouragement or questions to ask, I’m there.”
Felton’s reflections on Draco and seeing the world change
Felton has returned to the world of Harry Potter via a theatre production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, where he plays the grown-up version of Draco Malfoy. He talked about doing the part of Draco again and how it made him realize just how long it had been since the original Harry Potter movies were made, as well as how much the industry has changed since then. He also had good things to say about the short shoots on the set when they were younger because they used very basic technology and were in a much smaller and less hectic setting.
Felton had a good laugh during the interview as he talked about the way the original cast used physical cameras and worked with people who had many years of experience in the film and television industry. He recalled a moment where he got to experience “flying” on broomsticks with Daniel Radcliffe. Felton said that it now seems almost impossible to believe these experiences, now that technology has advanced since then.
He also talked about the difficulties that the cast probably has with dealing with the internet and social media. Felton called the potential for online attention “inconceivable,” as the young cast will be subject to much more online attention than his cast was when they were younger. He discussed that the online world can be an additional pressure, which made him feel even more justified in reaching out.
Felton also talked about his friendship with Daniel Radcliffe, who is performing on Broadway. Radcliffe is performing in Every Brilliant Thing, a one-man show that is only a couple of blocks from Felton’s theatre. Felton joked that both of their shows are among the best on Broadway. He said he was happy to meet up with him again after all these years.
What does the Harry Potter reboot mean for fans and the future of the story?
Each of the seven Harry Potter books will be made into a season each. Recently, a teaser for the show has been released. The series should begin airing sometime around Christmas. The project has been planned as a long-term production that may last for up to ten years. Felton has stated that he knows how big a burden it will be on the young actors. This is particularly true of those who will be playing characters that have already been seen by millions of fans.
He hoped that with the reboot, the actors would take the opportunity to make the characters unique to themselves. He commented that, while the original actors will always be linked to their original portrayals of the roles, the new cast will figure out their own connection and development of the character within the context of the reboot. For this reason, he did not wish to provide Pratt with any form of advice, meaning that he was simply letting Pratt know that he is available as a support system in case assistance is ever needed.
Felton has stated that, apart from his current performance work, he continues to feel connected to the Harry Potter series through his relationships with his castmates from the original series. The story has had an ongoing impact on him for several years and continues to have a place in his life in new and different ways. With the production of the Harry Potter reboot series, he expressed how excited he is to see how a new generation will produce the story.
Currently, Felton’s expectation is that this little thing that he did will help Pratt not feel alone as he is taking on this role. According to Felton, everything surrounding this franchise has been different. The people of this franchise have found a way to treat each other in kind ways; therefore, he sees no reason why it should change. The teaser for the Harry Potter series is now available, and the fans are eagerly waiting for the show to debut with a promised premiere date of Christmas, 2026.
Edited by Sohini Biswas