Tom Felton. “Harry Potter audition was the worst of my life, but maybe also the best”

“I learned it an hour ago, it’s incredible,” he enthuses, discussing the series. Harry Potter that Warner Bros. and HBO are preparing. It seems like a long way since 12-year-old Tom Felton first walked through the doors of Hogwarts, in other words, to success. In his autobiography Beyond Witchcraft, Confessions of a Witch (1), released in France on Wednesday April 12th, Draco Malfoy’s interpreter returns to his child actor experience, his (almost) failed audition. Harry Potter, and his first steps as a sneaky Slytherin. A book in which he also discusses his relationship with Emma Watson, his “soulmate,” and a darker period in his life characterized by a stint in rehab.

These stories, which slept in the actor’s notebooks for twenty years, highlight the “real Tom”. One who sometimes strayed from the path of infamy to find himself better. Now rid of his peroxide blonde hair, the actor lives a peaceful life not far from Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) and his two dogs, Willow and Forrest, who jokingly help keep him grounded. He hasn’t given up on movies at all and will soon be on the bill Canyon del Muerto, the feature film she produced, which chronicles the life of Ann Axtell Morris, one of the first American female archaeologists. Undoubtedly. For Tom Felton, the movie magic is not over yet.

In the video, Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts the teaser

intense auditions

Miss Figaro. – You started your acting career at a very young age. How did you experience it?
Tom Felton. – I was 7 years old when I starred in my first film. I think at that age you are just looking for an excuse not to go to school. Even on a movie set Harry Potter, we were just kids having fun. It required little skill. Only over the years have we started paying more attention to our acting.

It was the worst audition of my life, but maybe also the best

Tom Felton

You write that your family is very different from the Malfoys. In what?
Draco Malfoy has the worst father in the world and his mother isn’t great either. He is also an only child. Me, I have three older brothers and loving parents who supported me in all the different and varied passions I had growing up. Sometimes I wanted to become an ice hockey player, sometimes a violinist. Acting was only one of those passions, but they encouraged me to pursue it as always. We certainly did not expect what would follow.

You were 12 when you auditioned for the play Harry Potter . And not everything went as planned…
It happened in the first days of casting. All children in England could appear at the hearing. 99% of them had read the book and knew it inside out. They lined us up and asked each of us which part of the book we were most looking forward to seeing on the screen. When it was my turn, I thought to myself. “Damn, I don’t know anything about books!” My neighbor mentioned Gringotts (wizard bank, editor’s note) and gave the same answer before adding: Chris Columbus knew I was lying and that’s when he thought. “That man would make a good Malfoy.” It was the worst audition of my life, but maybe also the best.

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Passing the torch

How is your perception?Harry Potter has it evolved over the years?
When the first volume?Harry Potter came out, I thought I was too cool to read it. A boy wizard who lives under the stairs, that didn’t really interest me. But it is obvious that when I got to the section, I read very quickly. Chamber of Secrets He is the one who gave me a taste for reading, and then I devoured them all.

We didn’t know they were movie legends, but they treated us like adults

Tom Felton

You talk a lot about transmission in your book. What have you learned from the more experienced actors you’ve worked with on film sets? Harry Potter ?
Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy, had a knack for being the nicest guy in the world and turning into a movie villain in the blink of an eye. It was pretty creepy. But I admired him, as I admired the kindness each actor showed to the children and the crew. We didn’t know they were movie legends, but they treated us like adults and saw the rest of the crew as friends, which set a great example for us.

Which cast members are you still in touch with?
Everyone, even the Gryffindors. I often play golf with the Phelps twins (they play the Weasley twins, Editor’s Note). Rupert Grint, aka Ron Weasley, lives a short distance from my house. I see Emma Watson when I can and I spent time with Daniel Radcliffe in New York. We have a WhatsApp group that allows us all to stay in touch.

“Emma and I are still very close friends.”

How did your friendship with Emma Watson begin and how did it develop?
He was 9 years old when the shooting started. I was 12 years old. It had changed a lot then. I have three older brothers, so I kind of played cool guy. We got along with the whole cast, but Emma and I have a very similar sense of humor. We are still very close friends. We don’t see each other as often as I’d like, but every time I get a chance to see him or talk to him, we have a great time.

What I love most about Emma Watson is her generosity and sense of humor

Tom Felton

What do you admire most about him?
He is incredibly smart. He has a huge heart and is very talented. I don’t think anyone could play Hermione. And his roles after that have all been fantastic. But her generosity and sense of humor are definitely my favorite things about her.

Feet on the ground

Harry Potter he enjoys international success, and you write that the saga is becoming more and more popular. How have you handled the fame over the years?
As much as I could. I feel very lucky that my hair is no longer platinum blonde, so maybe I’m less recognizable. I don’t even consider myself famous anymore. I keep forgetting that. When kids look at me, I feel like I’ve done something wrong. Then I realize they just recognized me. My friends and family are not interested in my career, which makes things easier. I also have two dogs, and believe me, they don’t care about my professional life either. (Is laughing)

I don’t consider myself famous anymore

Tom Felton

You talk a lot about mental health in your book. Why was it important for you to write about this?
Like all the stories in the book, I wrote these pages a long time ago. I did not expect that they would be read by others one day. But it was important for me to include those chapters because that’s what happened to me. I thought it was important to be honest. And the reception the autobiography received in England confirmed my point. I encourage young people to talk about their struggles with those around them. This has personally helped me a lot.

In the video, Emma Watson competes in a celebrity-only pickleball tournament

behind the camera

You recently produced your first film. How was this experience?
I love stories, be they from books, animations or short films. And I’m fascinated by cameras. I’m a bit of a geek about this. It was the first opportunity for me to go behind the camera, playing in front of it. And there’s more going on behind the camera than I thought. It was a kind of electric shock. But I really enjoyed the experience and can’t wait for the movie to hit theaters.

Getting behind the camera was kind of a shock

Tom Felton

How did you feel after filming? Harry Potter ?
It was difficult because the last two films were shot as one feature film. Everyone was exhausted. But the prospect of filming the end of the saga was very exciting. We did not think about the fact that this could be the last time all of us together. Besides, we each had different schedules on the last day. My fear was that I would never see the sets of these movies again, which looked a little like our home. Now our props are spread throughout the studios Harry Potter, in London, and it’s phenomenal. I went there two weeks ago. I saw these families coming from all over the world to visit them. The experience for me Harry Potter not over, far from it.

(1) Beyond Witchcraft, Confessions, WitchcraftBy Tom Felton, published on April 12, 2023, Ed. Leduc, 392 p., €19.90