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Earlier today, Feltforce member Rotae had a chance to sit down with Tom for and exclusive interview for Feltbeats.com. As we previously reported, Tom (and Rotae ;)) is currently attending the Supanova convention in Adelaide Austrailia.

Here is Rotae’s transcript from todays sit down. Enjoy!

Rotae: Let’s kick this off! So. Just before The Deathly Hallows book came out, you and – mostly your male – castmates, were talking about wanting a “death scene”. Not to be super-spoilery, but you’ve had a few since then…

Tom: Yes, it’s true!

Rotae: Fairly regularly!

Tom: Yeah, I know! I’m dying in everything that I’ve done! Everything other than Harry Potter, I sort of die in a glorious fashion!

Rotae: Did you end up enjoying it as much as you thought you would, and is your character choice an indication that you want to be the next Sean Bean? Given that he dies in almost everything.

Tom: (laughs) He does die in everything! It’s a weird one actually, because everything I’ve done, I’ve not only died, I’ve died in a completely different fashions. I’m trying to think – I’m going through in my head now, all the times that I’ve died on screen… all I can think about it is that my mum hates it. She doesn’t like watching anything in which I die, for obvious reasons.

Rotae: Yeah, I remember you tweeting a pic of you covered in blood in 13 Hours.

Tom: Yeah, she did not appreciate that, for example. I’m trying to think, that was a pretty gruesome way to go… I had my neck snapped in The Disappeared… and oddly – a little interesting fact – the guy who snapped my neck in The Disappeared plays my father in Belle!

Rotae: Oh, funny!

Tom: Yeah! So it was weird seeing him again! I was like, “I recognise you…” and it’s like, “Ah! Yes. You were the guy who broke my neck. I remember you clearly.” (laughs) He’s a very sweet guy, actually. I think that Apes was the best way to go. Especially because, obviously, I wasn’t actually being electrocuted at the time! So, it felt a bit stupid. Because they were just literally hosing me down with this hose, and I had to kind of bzzzzz! (mimes being electrocuted). And you feel like a bit of an idiot doing it, but… He had to go, didn’t he, at some point?

Rotae: He did! He was so horrible!

Tom: Yeah, that’s kind of the beauty of that scene of the film, is that by an hour ten into it, you’ve managed to get the humans to cheer for their own downfall, for him to actually die, so it’s kind of a sweet moment there, I think.

Rotae: Was it good to say the “damn dirty ape” classic line?

Tom: Yeah! I had no knowledge of the lines previously, and I hadn’t seen any of the films! If I had, I saw them as a kid, you know, when my dad was showing me them. Yeah, weirdly all the producers, and exec producers, and studio execs came down for this one scene, and I didn’t particularly know why at the time! But we did about 35 different versions of the line – because they didn’t know whether they were going to use it as it was originally written, or whether it was going to sound stupid so they were going to put something else in there, so I think the one that made it through was the 35th attempt! Hence even more frustration and passions in there.

But yeah, it was great! And there’s actually a load of other lines in there as well that I didn’t realise were… “It’s a mad house”, apparently is a famous line that we got to say in it as well. There’s lots of really clever little bits for previous Ape fans weaved in the names… and again, it doesn’t really mean much to me, given I’ve never been an original massive fan, but it’s cool because my dad finally has got a film that he can enjoy that I’m in. He’s never really been a huge Potter fan, so I was very happy to tell him that I was joining the Apes franchise. My dad… my dad was a bit annoying. He began to tell me the flaws and how in this book that he’d read in the 70s things were different, and I was like, “Dad, come on! This is the new updated version; get with the times!” (laughs)

And I’m pleased to report I’m pretty sure they’re doing a couple more! Rise of the Planet of the Apes Again or whatever great title they come up with.

Rotae: Yeah! The first title was okay! It was like, Caesar: Rise of the Apes or something?

Tom: Yeah!

Rotae: And then they changed it and it was super long…

Tom: Yeah! I think originally it was just Caesar, and then just Rise of the Apes, which I thought was good… but then I guess they were worried that people weren’t going to make the connection between Rise of the Apes and Planet of the Apes, which to me, I thought was a bit ridiculous… But! It came out great! I always thought it was a mouth-full, but people seem to remember it, and I think it was actually a good choice in the end.

Rotae: It did really well! It was very well received!

Tom: Yeah! I thought it was an excellent movie!

Rotae: It was!

Tom: I thought it had every – especially with a title like that – it had every opportunity to make something terrible! (laughs) Especially as the last Apes attempt didn’t go down very warmly… And I think really, I suppose… I’m just trying to think who is responsible… Rick Jaffa and his lovely wife, who wrote the screenplay, which still to this day is probably one of the best scripts that I’ve read. Rupert Wyatt, who was our amazing director, and Andy Serkis really, for making Caesar something that you can care about.

Rotae: Yeah, he so should have got nominated for something…

Tom: Yeah! It’s a shame that, yeah. He does deserve that. In good time! I feel I will definitely see Andy Serkis win an Oscar in my lifetime.

Rotae: Hopefully!

Tom: At least one! (laughs)

Rotae: He’s just got to keep doing what he’s doing.

Tom: Yeah, exactly. He’s the godfather of mo-cap! (laughs) It’s weird, because even when I see it, it’s very hard for you to see this ape, and not just assume that it was all computer effects! It’s very hard to actually envision every single facial expression and sound already had been made by this guy! So I can understand why it’s hard for people to join the dots, so to speak.

Rotae: My next question is about photoshoots! You’ve done ones where you’ve been your character, like Draco, you know, the publicity shots, and you’ve done ones where you’re modelling clothes, and you’ve done ones where you’re yourself! So, which one of those do you find the easiest to do?

Tom: Anything in character is always preferred. My worst one would be as myself, because “myself” is my hands are in my pockets and I’m going to stand there and look at you awkwardly with a sort of half-smile on my face. So yeah, they’re the most awkward. I won’t lie, I’m not a “model”, in the fashion sense, very good, but I find it a bit like acting as well! You’ve got to sort of act, like you’re a model! (laughs) So it’s kind of… another role to make it easier.

Rotae: So you haven’t watched America’s Next Top Model to, you know, get some tips?

Tom: (laughs) No! I haven’t got any good poses, yeah! Someone showed me a picture actually, someone tweeted a picture the other day… it was a collage, and it was, “Tom Felton: The Man Who Loves to Hug Himself”! Because there was all these strange shots, of me basically doing this (fists his hands in his clothes and hugs himself – it’s quite hilarious), in one way, shape or form! But that’s what you try and do! For me, it’s just awkward! It’s pure awkward. So whatever you can do to fill your hands – even if it’s just hug yourself – it makes yourself feel more comfortable somehow. I’ve been very lucky that all the photographers we’ve had, have all been friendly and very, you know… they don’t ask too much of me, which is good.

Rotae: Okay! One that’s sort of close to me at the moment, is we’ve been having performance reviews, so what’s it like to have thousands of reviews about work that you can’t go back and change? Like, that you can’t improve?

Tom: Yeah!

Rotae: Do they help, or do they hinder or…?

Tom: Uhm… I’ve never actively seeked reviews. I do find it quite an odd concept, in the same way that one person’s palette is different to the other, and if you loved a piece of food, that doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m going to enjoy that piece of food. So, I really feel like everyone is a critic, and everyone’s opinion is just as valid as the next person, so there isn’t one review I would hold to have more weight than the other, for example. And I think there’s enough people, thankfully, that are fans of the work, that it outweighs any negative. Because I have seen a few, and they certainly don’t bother me – they certainly don’t help (laughs) – yeah, but everyone has an opinion.

And I certainly think with something like Potter, David Yates said it early on; you’re going to have a hundred thousand reviews, so they can’t all be good, and some people are looking to write bad things, for example. Some people cherry-pick the worst reviews for some reason! They actively search for people who are saying the worst things, and that’s a recipe for disaster so far as I’m concerned. I just try to stay away from all that.

Rotae: Yeah, I think that’s a good idea! Okay. This one is from my grade 6 Harry Potter class that I take… And this isn’t their exact words – I’m paraphrasing – what personal attributes do you need to have to do your job really well, other than – you know – being good at acting?

Tom: This is another thing that’s quite interesting. Lots of people say, “Oh, I could never do what you do; I could never be an actor”, and I ask, “Oh, well, what do you do?” and they say, “I work in a phone shop, I sell phones”, something like that. In near enough every job – as a teacher – you have to act-

Rotae: Oh yeah, absolutely!

Tom: It’s a constant thing day-to-day. I really see what actors do, as opposed to what other jobs do, to be quite similar, it’s just the fact that we do it in front of a camera, and it’s kind of orchestrated, and someone’s sort of telling you what to do rather than you relying on your own wits.

So, I don’t know… my first thing is you need to love to do it, and I’m sure it’s the same for yourself; if you hated teaching, within six months you wouldn’t last anymore because you would lacklustre and you would really… you can’t be arsed with it really. So, for an actor, you have to love it, because it’s not always as fun as you might have originally envisioned. So for that reason you sort of have to, you know, be patient, and be ready, constantly. It’s one of those things where you have to sit on your hands for seven hours, and then they’ll say, “We need you right now”, and you have to get in front of the camera and do it perfect, first take, and that’s it; that’s the only chance you have to get it right. So, that and luck, more than anything, to be a successful actor. People have asked me that more than anything, “Why [is Tom] here?” and it’s pure luck! (laughs) Or largely, anyway.

Rotae: Fantastic! Now… oh! I’m a bit… afraid to ask this…

Tom: Oh no!

Rotae: Because I’m not sure I’m going to like the answer! No, no! (reassuring)

Tom: I thought I was in trouble!

Rotae: No, no! I have one later on that we might get into a little bit of an argument about-

Tom: (laughs)

Rotae: But, how’s the songwriting going?

Tom: Yeah okay!

Rotae: We haven’t heard much lately, that’s all.

Tom: I’ve got loads of things that are in the works. I do exactly what you’re doing now, I turn on my audio recorder on my iPhone, and I play into that for ten minutes, and then revisit it six months later and then go, “Oh yeah! I remember this! I remember this”. And I really enjoy that, and trying to put some lyrics to stuff like that, but I’m trying to let the whole thing happen organically, never try and force it too much. But yeah! I’m… quietly confident that some new songs will be on the way next year, hopefully.

Rotae: Awesome! Next up: do you view Twitter as work, or personal, or a combination of both?

Tom: A combination of both, definitely. I am very aware and conscious that it’s not a place to publicise your opinions on certain things… I’m always aware that everyone’s listening or reading my tweets are 10 and under. That’s what I have to keep telling myself, not to eff and blind, or say something that some people would generally find offensive. It’s a beautiful combination of the two! The good thing about it for me is, as you know, you can talk and interact with a hundred people in five minutes by just retweeting them, or sending them a quick tweet back. So occasionally I have, every few weeks or so, I go through like a…

Rotae: A spree!

Tom: Yeah! An hour marathon, where I can just, you know, say hello to as many people as possible. And yeah, saying that – going back – I do enjoy people who do use it as a personal venting tool. Piers Morgan, Ricky Gervais… I do enjoy, I do know that sometimes it’s very antagonising, and patronising sometimes, but it is very enjoyable to read! (laughs)

Rotae: (laughs) It absolutely is! Okay! I’ve got a quick round-up of Australian slang, that I’m going to test you on!

Tom: Fair dinkums!

Rotae: (laughs)

Tom: (confused) No? Is that one?

Rotae: Well, no… yes, but without the ‘s’. “Fair dinkum”.

Tom: Fair dinkum, sorry!

Rotae: Yeah, yeah. Do you know what, “She’ll be apples” means?

Tom: (very confidently) No.

Rotae: (laughs) Okay!

Tom: What’s the one my brother keeps using? Uhm, “Oh, effing cuda, mate!” C-U-D-A? Oh, I don’t know!

Rotae: Like a fish? A cuda? Like a barracuda?

Tom: I thought he used it like, “I had a cuda game of cricket the other day”, and I was like, “I… don’t know what that is!”… you don’t know? Oh, I’ll have to ask him, yeah (laughs)

Rotae: I think it can be localised? Like, I think, “She’ll be apples” is a Tasmanian thing, yeah.

Tom: Oh, okay! Cool. (laughs)

Rotae: Budgie-smugglers?

Tom: Ah… yes. Yes! Because we have Foster adverts back at home, and the budgie-smugglers, yeah… I’m well aware of those. I don’t rock ’em, but yeah, yeah. (laughs)

Rotae: Have you done a Tim Tam Slam?

Tom: No. But again, I am familiar with it! I won’t lie, it sounds… I’m not a huge fan of Tim Tams…

Rotae: (in disbelief) Really?!

Tom: I’m getting there slowly! You know what I’m like with food; it takes me a long time. I’m sure I’ll get there.

Rotae: What would you be doing if you “spat the dummy”?

Tom: (deadpan) No idea. No idea!

Rotae: (laughs) Having a hissy-fit.

Tom: Just generally, throwing a tantrum?

Rotae: Yeah! And uh, “a few fries short of a Happy Meal”?

Tom: I know the phrase! What is it? What does it mean?

Rotae: Oh, you’re a bit… not all there.

Tom: Oh yeah! Not all there! (Australian accent) “He’s a few fries short of a Happy Meal!”

Rotae: Yeah!

Tom: I like that one! That’s good! (laughs)

Rotae: And the last thing… and this is the one that we’re going to have an argument about…

Tom: Come on!

Rotae: Okay. All serious.

Tom: Give it to me.

Rotae: No jokes.

Tom: No jokes.

Rotae: No clichés.

Tom: Okay.

Rotae: Nothing like that. Do you – because I’m trying to work out whether you’re a few fries short of a Happy Meal or not –

Tom: (laughs)

Rotae: Do you actually think you’re a Slytherin? Seriously.

Tom: (a beat) Yes! Genuinely! I still don’t understand where the confusion- why would you want to possibly pick any other-

Rotae: No, no, no, I’m not asking if you would pick to be in Slytherin… that’s a different question!

Tom: Oh! So you’re saying, would the Hat actually put me into Slytherin?

Rotae: Mmhmm. Yeah.

Tom: Yeah! Because I actually… maybe I’m not as knowledgeable about the other three, but I just see the other three as being far too… goody for me? And that’s not to say that I’m not a nice guy, I do my bit, but I guess, I keep using the phrase, “room for error” with the Slytherin bunch.

Rotae: Yeah… but I mean, the – and I’m not saying you’re a Gryffindor – but, with the Gryffindors, they’re like, the ones that break the rules; the Slytherins use rules to their advantage.

Tom: That’s a better way- maybe, maybe this is it: maybe it’s me not really being knowledgeable of… you’re making me second- you’re making me think twice about it!

Rotae: Good! Good! Because every time you answer this question, I read it and I go, “No. No!”

Tom: You know what? I think I’m probably using it as, for like, the “cool” factor, aren’t I? I’m not actually thinking about it?

Rotae: I think you are, because I did the same thing.

Tom: (laughs) Did you?

Rotae: Yeah! When it came out, and I thought Draco was awesome, you know, as you do…

Tom: You were like, “Slytherin all the way!”

Rotae: Yeah! But I’m so not!

Tom: And now you’re thinking, “Wait a minute, I’m not!”… yeah, yeah, yeah! Well, okay. You’ve stumped me with that one. I thought I had a very clear-cut answer for you, but now I’m…

Rotae: And you’re going to go all Draco on me now, because I… I think you’re a Hufflepuff too. I think you’re like me!

Tom: I just can’t see it! Really?! A Hufflepuff?

Rotae: Loyal! You’re a loyal person? Absolutely!

Tom: I am!

Rotae: You’re very hard-working?

Tom: Mmhmm.

Rotae: And you’re fair! You talked earlier about everyone being fair-

Tom: Fair, yes!

Rotae: –and equal, and getting a fair go… it’s a very Australian attitude to have!

Tom: (a beat) So are you saying… potentially… I am a secret Hufflepuff?

Rotae: You are.

Tom: Is this the exclusive scoop?

Rotae: (laughs)

Tom: This is it? (laughs)

Rotae: Absolutely!

Tom: “Felton Admits He May Be Partially Hufflepuff”?

Rotae: I think you’ve got a little bit of Gryffindor in you too…

Tom: Oh wow. Now we’re falling out, Rotae. (laughs)

Rotae: (laughs) No, no, no, I think you’re a Hufflepuff.

Tom: Well, you know what? I’m going to explore the options more!

Rotae: You should!

Tom: I’m going to!

Rotae: You should go on Pottermore…

Tom: And find out… but I’m scared though! This is the thing!

Rotae: I know! And see, if Pottermore had come out in 2003? I would have been the exact same way! Because, you know, you go through it and suddenly you’re not in the House you thought you were-

Tom: Yeah, exactly!

Rotae: Your complete identity can be changed!

Tom: You could be devastated, exactly! You’ve shaken the fabric on which I am standing on! This is going to haunt me for the rest of the day now… (laughs)

Rotae: Oh, good! Good! I’m glad I’ve made you think about it!

Tom: Mission accomplished, yes! (laughs)