Some days, I just love opening my email and *poof!* all these articles of Tom Felton related interview goodness are there waiting for me to share with you. From Tom’s merry prankster ways and learning the value of a pound to Draco’s cowardly redemption, it’s part five million cagillion of Tom Felton and the HP Promotional Extravaganza. Enjoy.
DRACO’S EVIL PLAN: He’s nowhere as sinister as Draco Malfoy, but Tom Felton does have a mischievous side. That’s why he planted a rumor far and wide that he and other “Potter” cast members were getting the same tattoo, a la the crew of “The Lord of the Rings.” The prank worked, with Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe suddenly bombarded with questions about what tattoo they would be getting and where. “I suggested a lightning bolt on the left buttock,” Felton said. “I think it would be rather fetching. Daniel and Emma beg to differ.” Then he mimed dropping his pants before smiling and moving on down the red carpet. Whatever happens to his career, Felton is clearly confident and ready to have fun. He played right along when I suggested Daniel Radcliffe was imitating him: Felton has a ghost story project, “The Apparition,” and Radcliffe has announced he’ll star in the new Hammer film “The Woman in Black,” based on the smash hit play that’s also a ghost story. “It’s sad, really,” Felton said with a wink.
Draco looks pained and torn in this movie. How has his character changed over the course of the movies?“For the first four years at school, he’s really just a purposefully horrible, disgusting child. He’s a bully. A slimy bully. Then we see him as the years progress and see him with his family and especially his father. We realize that he is bullied – physically and emotionally – by his dad. All he really wants is his father’s approval, which of course, he never really gets.
“In the sixth film, he has a chance to become a bona fide bad guy, but he’s not up to it.”
You’re in only two scenes in this movie, but one of them is when Draco has the chance to turn in Harry.“It’s a great scene where Harry is brought back . . . and you see that Draco has a sense of kinship with Harry. He can feel the weight of the world on Harry’s shoulders, and he has an opportunity once again to be villainous and he can’t do it.”
Draco has a pretty horrible family situation. How is your family different?“Oh, completely different. I have three brothers; I’m the youngest of four. I had a great childhood. We had brilliant Christmases, and my mom and dad worked normal 9-to-5 jobs.”
The last book was divided into two movies; how do you feel about that decision?
“It’s a brilliant choice. One of the things that we had to do was stay true to . . . the story that was so beautifully told by Jo [J.K. Rowling]. If we had cut out half of the book, it would have caused such an uproar with fans. It really is two separate stories: the buildup and then the battle.”
What was it like to end filming this series that has been part of your life for 10 years?“It was very weird. Nobody knew what to say. I kinda shook everyone’s hands and said thanks to everyone and ran off before I got too emotional.”
As you’ve said, your character is a total bully. What advice do you have for kids if a Draco is making their lives horrible?
“I would tell kids not to keep it to yourself. Open up to someone, whether it’s a teacher or a friend. I find it’s usually the bullies who are the most insecure.
The actor was plucked from obscurity to play wizard bully Draco Malfoy in the hit series, starring alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint and even though he was earning a fortune from his work in the movies, Felton was ordered by his father to take a low-paid job when he was 13-years-old so he could learn the value of money, reports mirror.co.uk.
‘Around the third film, ‘The Prisoner of Azkaban’, my dad had a thing about me not understanding the value of the pound. While my mum was always protective, saying, ‘You’ve earned it, do what you like,’ my dad was like, ‘Acting’s not a proper job, standing around doing (nothing). You need to learn.’ So I went to the fishery my brother worked at from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m., working in the car park for 20 pounds a day,’ said Felton.
Despite his tender age, Felton reveals not all his customers were impressed with his star status.
‘Fisheries don’t always attract the nicest people, so as a little 13-year-old kid telling them where to park, there were lots of middle fingers flying about. It was very different from life at ‘Harry Potter’. But that 20 pound was all of a sudden valuable,’ he said.
