Today the Herald Sun released an interview with Tom Felton [Yes, as a matter of fact, it is spelled with an L], talking about the HBP and his interactions – pranks, Harry Potter on Ice, how Tom Felton is pondering kidnapping, and more – on the Harry Potter set.
Neala Johnson
July 16, 2009 12:00am
DRACO Malfoy has got his hands full in the latest Harry Potter installment. Tom Fenton talks about his role as the blonde bombshell of Hogwarts.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince marks the sixth time you have played Draco Malfoy. Do you feel you’ve finally got a bit more meat to chew on in this latest instalment?
Very much so. I’ve been sinking my teeth well into the meat, so to speak. I was looking forward to every scene, it’s been good fun getting my hands around a bit more plot. Truth be told, in the previous films it’s not really been that stretching.
What is Draco up to in The Half-Blood Prince?
He’s in a conflicting position with the dark side. This is the comeuppance of previous years. It’s time to decide where his loyalties lie. He’s been asked to fulfil a deed he thinks he’s capable of, and it’s a mass confliction throughout the film whether he can do it or not. He keeps pumping himself up, then losing it again.
Jim Broadbent is a newcomer to the Potter world in this film, but you worked with him when you were eight on The Borrowers, right?
Yes, it’s surreal. It’s 13 years on since we did that, and I would never have guessed in a million years we’d both be here. I was very pleased to see he remembered me and we talked about old times. Jim’s a great character. I was laughing my head off at him on set. I can’t look at him while we shoot ‘cos he pulls all sorts of funny faces.
Are many pranks pulled on the Potter set?
Every year I’ve had this question and I’ve lamely said “nothing” each time. But on this one we had the first incident I’ve seen — someone gaffer-taped my dressing room trailer door closed, so one was not able to get in for a few hours.
Do you know who was responsible?
When I turned around to a flock of giggling co-stars, I quickly found out my Slytherin crew were to blame, and they got many an embarrassing photo of me standing outside. Happy memories.
Are you starting to think about life after Potter?
Very much so. It’s depressing, it’s a terrible thought that this is all going to come to an end one day. However, we must plan for the future somehow. I feel slightly like I’ve taken it for granted over the six or seven years, so I didn’t let it happen on this one — every day I was making the most of it and enjoying it.
You’re still only 21. Will you go to university?
I always said I wanted to go to university, but I wanted to do it out of work, so I could put my full three years in and not be distracted by other commitments. It’s uncertain. I’m still waiting for this to be over before I decide.
You’ve made a thriller called 13Hrs. Do you have your eye on any other acting jobs?
I’m open to suggestions. I’m far from being in the position to start turning away things. Anything that would expand my horizons as an actor, I’d certainly bite the hand off whoever is offering it.
Have you and your castmates grown into different people over six movies?
It doesn’t feel so, because we’ve grown up together and it’s quite hard to notice the difference when you’re around each other so much. But if you refer to previous films and look back at how everyone looked and acted, it’s vastly different to what it is now, and I’d like to think greatly improved on everyone’s behalf. It’s quite strange to look back, especially Dan (Radcliffe), Rupert (Grint) and Emma (Watson) — it’s amazing how much they’ve grown up.
Who are you closest to?
I dare not say! Recently young Daniel and I have been conversing quite a bit about cricket, we’re cricket enthusiasts, so we spend many an hour talking about cricket. But Emma’s a very nice girl and I have a lot of time for her.
Can you escape the Potter hype more easily than the other stars? When you go off set and your hair isn’t so blond, can you blend in?
Well, unfortunately, when they dye your hair they dye your hair for good. There’s no escaping that. Thank god for hats. But I’m very lucky. I’d say I’ve been recognised two or three times in my whole life, so I’m very grateful that I don’t have to carry the burden of fame everywhere I go. Don’t get me wrong, I lap it up on premiere nights and so forth. But generally speaking, on a day-to-day basis, I’m quite happy to be the normal guy.
If you could play any other Potter character, who would it be?
I really wouldn’t want to play any other character. I get great joy out of being a miserable git most of the day. It’d have to be someone bad. I couldn’t be a Gryffindor, I couldn’t stomach the love and the happiness and all the rest of it.
Are you looking forward to what you’ll get to do as Draco in the final two films?
Very much so. I tried to resist reading the final book when it came out, but that lasted about 12 hours. Then I sat down and ploughed through the whole thing in about 24 hours. I regret doing that, but I can’t go back. It’s a great book with a cool finish — the Battle of Hogwarts is a good idea.
If you could take anything from the set after the last film, what would you take?
The people. Is that really cheesy? I shouldn’t have said that, should I? I tell ya, I’m so not looking forward to it ending.
Will you cry?
I did two films previous to the Harry Potter phenomenon and both of those I blubbed my heart out and I’m pretty sure I used some terrible excuse that I tripped and fell or something along those lines. We’ve all been very lucky on this ‘cos you know you’re going to be back and it’s a big reunion and happy days. But after the very last one, I dare not talk about it, it’s quite upsetting.
Surely there’ll be a reunion?
Yes: Harry Potter on Ice.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is now showing.
