Tom Felton Talks The Love/Hate Relationship and Bond between Harry and Draco

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It seems Tom got into some heavy relationship talk when he was on the line with MTV.com. In this second article with the network, Tom discusses Draco almost having a “bond” with Harry Potter, and how they have a love/hate relationship.

How do you keep things fresh with a character you’ve been playing nearly half your life? It helps if, as is the case with “Harry Potter” star Tom Felton and his role as blond bad guy Draco Malfoy, you get to step away and take on a new role in a decidedly un-“Potter”-like film. And it’s doubly advantageous if your established character is evolving in ways that make him a far different person than he once was.

That’s where the 22-year-old Felton finds himself at the moment, as the actor begins filming “The Apparition” in Berlin and gets set to return for the end of shooting on “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” As Felton told MTV News from across the pond, Malfoy undergoes changes in J.K. Rowling’s final boy-wizard book that reveal previously unseen layers within him and which present a welcome challenge as an actor.

“It was one of the things I was really looking forward to with ‘Deathly Hallows,’ “ he said. “My personal opinion is, deep down, Draco is desperate to get out of what he’s in. In ‘Half-Blood Prince,’ he had a real wake-up call, realizing this is not what he wants to do, this isn’t the path he wants to go down. Unfortunately, his parental influences aren’t too good. He’s kind of forced into the dark side. It’s hard when Voldemort is sort of your step-uncle, in a weird way.”

But in “Deathly Hallows,” Draco begins to indulge some of his more redemptive qualities, leading to a few compelling moments between him and longtime adversary Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe). Felton said he’s had long talks with director David Yates about the best way to approach the good/evil duality within Draco, and the payoff has been a couple thrilling on-camera confrontations with Radcliffe.

“Harry and Draco almost have a bond, and they save each other’s lives on numerous occasions,” he said. “It’s a really weird love/hate relationship. It’s great that it’s left to our interpretation of how and why this is all happening. We have shot some really interesting stuff with me and Daniel — me saving him and him saving me. For once, we’re not just bickering!”

In particular, Felton is proud of his work on a massive battle scene at Hogwarts between Harry Potter and his Dark Arts-enabled adversaries. “That’s a fantastic moment in the courtyard, where it’s kind of like a Western showdown between good and evil, and Draco’s the only character where you have to go from one side to the other,” he said.

26 thoughts on “Tom Felton Talks The Love/Hate Relationship and Bond between Harry and Draco”

  6. Woahh!!! Somehow I feel queasy reading this. Like there is something extremely exiting going on and I’m missing out on it… weird.
    When is it going to be released, 2011???!! I think I’ll be dead by then, having died of a ceaseless thrill. All these amazing news! It’s just too much. Too good. Too Tom Felton.?! AARGHH!!!!

  13. Like the other comments – Slash Hearts are pounding and if Yates and Kloves want to highlight the luv/hate between the guys, who am I to cavail? I think it’s great.

  15. Pretty confident that Tom is NOT referring to a slash relationship, but more of an understanding between the characters that both are forced into a life they don’t want and other similarities, but… Take it as you will.

  16. I’m glad I’m not the only one that had a happy giggle when I read that. It’s one of those things I’ll have to refrain from mentioning if I ever get to meet the actual actors.

  18. “My personal opinion is, deep down, Draco is desperate to get out of what he’s in. In ‘Half-Blood Prince,’ he had a real wake-up call, realizing this is not what he wants to do, this isn’t the path he wants to go down. Unfortunately, his parental influences aren’t too good. He’s kind of forced into the dark side. It’s hard when Voldemort is sort of your step-uncle, in a weird way.”

    Thomas, Honey, you absolutely got it right from beginning to end!

    What I mean is, your opinion reflects my very own: just like any of us, Draco realized that he’s been mistaking (and to have been forced into it doesn’t help much either), that’s in no way what was the expected result he was looking forward to. All he wanted was to be accepted as he was, and get some friends. A thing Dragons were attaching a lot of importance, on that they didn’t differ much from us.

    On the other hand, the way you’re resuming Harry and Draco’s Love/Hate relationship bond, isn’t without reminding me of “Power Of Love (and Many Things)”, by Nagini & Friends, which can be found on the album “A Tribute To Draco & The Malfoys”. Of course, got it on my playlist! *lol*

    Blessed be.

    With Love,

    Sam.

  19. i am sooo excited about Deathly Hollows!!…especially after reading this..now I love Draco a hundred times more…^_^

  22. I’m soooo glad to read about such Tom’s attitude to Draco’s character!! I’m sure Draco is not just a simply bad guy, he is deeply miserable, full of strong moral contradictions between parental and Voldemort’s influence and his inner nature, i think.. He need frienship, love like other common teens.. Looking forward to see SUCH Draco by Tom in Deathly Hallows!! ))))

  24. Pingback: Clevver TV showcases the Cleverness of Tom Felton and his Love/Hate Relationships

  25. OMG HES BETTER THAN I REALIZE!

    I really loved Harry/Draco without really liking Tom or Dan (at first) (Okay I admit it, I was in love with Dan after seeing the third film, Im a girl) but I clearly now see how much Tom see in his character… 🙂

    I wish that he would admit H/D as lovers but I guess it would be too “controversial” 🙁 No one would get it except for us, fanigrls…

    But Im glad that he reason in this way atleast… it made my day…

    I NEVER ship anyone else except for Harry/Draco, Hermione/Ron ´cause I think Harry/Snape (:S) and other AU relationships tells nothing about the book in general! So I throw away everything away but Harry and Draco, and I´ve been doing that for my young year and soon my adult year…

    When I was younger I didnt really get why it was “sex” in their relationship and I HATED it… I still thinks that´s it unecessary, ´cause the main point is that they just should be together and that doesnt need to revolves around sex. `Cause I saw what Tom talks about only I thought that they could be in love too…

    Heheh, I hope non-slashers doesnt get confused by this… 😛

  26. gods! tom is such a tease!!! i really hope harry/draco is real! and that tom and dan are together!!! *sigh* they would make such a handsome couple… curse you jade! atleast dan isn’t a homophobe…

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