As we posted earlier, Tom Felton attended the press conference for his upcoming film “Belle” today where he plays James Ashford. The transcript of Tom’s question and answer can now be read below.

WARNING: Tom’s question and answer includes spoilers for a scene in the film.

HENRI BEHAR: He was extremely mean in the early Harry Potter, in this film as James Ashford he’s even meaner: Mister Tom Felton.

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HENRI BEHAR: Another embarrassing scene for the viewer, is your moment, Mr. Felton, when you grab [Belle] off-screen, and one would almost hate to imagine what exactly it is that you do… was that also a difficult scene to prepare?

TOM FELTON: Definitely, yeah. I actually really like Gugu [Mbatha-Raw, Belle], so it was quite awkward to grab her in an un-gentlemanly fashion, yes! [Gugu laughs] So we were, I think we were constantly sort of doing a soft grab, and then eventually we had to sort of keep ramping it up, and following the cut I would quickly apologise a thousand times to try and worm my way back into her good books. Yes it was, you know actually, it was a fun scene in an odd way. Amma [Asante, director] spoke really brilliantly to me before it started about where James is coming from, and it’s kind of an obvious- or easy to see him as racist or as a fascist pig, but really I think a lot of it comes from fear of change, an unwillingness to want to evolve with the way society was moving. And looking back at it, I think it’s quite incredible that had those events not happened, and had these characters not done what they had done, we may be seeing race and class and all the rest in a completely differently light to today. So yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed not only the scene, but the entire context of the character.

Executive Producer for From the Rough Michael J. Critelli has posted an update on the film’s release today on their Facebook page.

Following the film’s Indiegogo campaign, From the Rough will be released to select US theatres in early 2014, with both a DVD and digital release to follow in May, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. Board of Education.

Critelli writes:

Today, on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, we are proud to kick-off our marketing campaign for From the Rough as we prepare for our 2014 release date.

From the Rough will premier on October 24 during a special event at Tennessee State University in Nashville for the historic inauguration of Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover the first full-time female president of the 100-year-old institution.

From the Rough will be released in select theaters nationwide in early 2014 and will be available in both DVD and digital video formats to commemorate the 60th anniversary of another civil rights milestone, the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. Board of Education, in May 2014.

We want to celebrate the pioneers of civil rights and equal opportunity, but we also want to honor unheralded individuals like Coach Starks and institutions like Tennessee State University and the other Historically Black Colleges and Universities who have made a huge difference in the lives of those they touched through a relentless focus on diversity and inclusion, regardless of race, gender, or national origin.

There are only 5 hours left to pledge your support to Tom’s Felton’s film From the Rough! Get on it, Felton fans!

Remember, if you donate $1 or more you could win Tom’s autograph by doing so!

Fantastic news, Felton Fans! Screen Daily is reporting that Fox Searchlight has set a release date for Belle in selected US cinemas: May 2, 2014.

Tom plays the character of James Ashford. In our exclusive interview with him at NY Comic Con last year, Tom had the following to say about the film and his character:

Tom: “Belle” is a pretty special, pretty special piece. It’s a BBC drama about the first introduction of a black woman into high society England. I get to play a…. horrible guy. That’s all I’ll say. I was going to give more away there, but no, I realize I shouldn’t. He plays, yeah, a very, very old, and a very stuck-in-his-ways. I’m not happy to see a young black girl in

Bets: That’s your character? You play an old guy?

Tom: No. No. No. As in old in his ways.

Bets: Oh, okay.

Tom: Doesn’t like the idea of modern. This idea of something new coming along to shake up the system.

You can also follow the film’s director, Amma Asante, on Twitter. In January this year, she posted this fun picture of Tom behind the scenes with fellow actor, James Norton.

On set of #Belle. @TomFelton and @jginorton kicking up some fun. #funmemories pic.twitter.com/Rpm4QCfm

— Amma Asante (@AmmaAsante) January 30, 2013