First News, the UK newspaper for kids, interviewed Tom Felton, Natalia Tena and Warwick Davis at the press event of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. Ben Pulsford tried to find out all about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Last week the last EVER Harry Potter film is released on DVD. Tom Felton, who plays Draco Malfoy in the series, talks to us about 10 years of Draco and why he couldn’t wait to leave the set!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was such an epic end to the series. What was it like to film?
To me, because we filmed them at the same time, The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Part 2 was just one big production. It was a good solid, nearly two years of filming, obviously with Daniel, Rupert and Emma doing the majority of it, but us being available throughout. It was a long time and actually the longest time to wait before actually seeing any of it. The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was released a good two and a half years after we started shooting it, so yes, it was very cool to finally watch it. It is rather rewarding to watch the final product. Obviously when you wave your wand when you’re filming, nothing happens, but for the film they make it look rather marvellous!
The film’s full of action! Were those high-action scenes fun to film?
Yes, I mean the courtyard scene at the end was quite something! I did enjoy that whenever they were blowing up part of the courtyard they would knock on all of our doors, just to let us know! There weren’t a lot of explosions in Harry Potter until this film. That came with mixed emotions. We’d be like “Oh wow!” But also “Oh no! They’ve just blown up half of Hogwarts!”
You played Draco for almost ten years. What’s it like to play a character for that long?
I can only think of it as a great privilege and a huge honour. It’s really nice, after three or four years some of the directors would start to come up to me and ask for my input on the character, which was really quite touching and humbling. It was great because every year we got the chance to bring something new to the characters and develop them further.
After a decade, there must have been a few hugs and tears on set come the final day of filming.
There was more of a feeling of pride, I think. It was an unusual feeling because we knew that was the end. To be honest I was keen to leave as quickly as possible come the end because, if I’d stayed, I would have cried like a five-year-old. To be fair, we never really had to say goodbye, because we went on to see each other at the wrap party and various premieres. Although it was the end of filming, it was never going to be goodbye there and then.
What is your most treasured memory from filming the series?
It’s got to be the people. It’s kind of hard to pick one memory but, over the ten years, I was lucky enough to make some great friends that will last a lifetime so I’m very grateful for that and I suppose that’s the main thing I’m holding on to.
What’s it like to have been part of something as huge and successful as Harry Potter?
Dan said it best when he said that we were in a bubble when filming. None of us really got that overly excited about what we were doing at the time because it was a day-to-day job. I mean, obviously, we knew we were very lucky to be a part of it but it’s not until you get flown to some country across the world, that you’ve never been to before, and there are people welcoming you with massive banners that say ‘Welcome Draco’ that you really realise how wonderful it is and how far your efforts have gone.
Out of all the spells in the Harry Potter world, which do you wish was real?
I like a bit of Expelliarmus. Not that I really want to disarm people. It’s not a day-to-day problem that I have – but it’s nice sounding!
Ahahahaha Expelliarmus — Smell your armpits! LOL I’m shocked no one ever replies to that question with Legilimens. That’s the first spell I’d like to have. Tom was as cute as ever. Thank you for posting the clip!