Tom Felton is looking very blonde again, sitting in a Toronto hotel room. It’s the day after he attended the London premiere of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and the day before he heads to New York for a press junket. He’ll cap his jet setting week by returning to Scotland to start shooting the final two Potter films, The Deathly Hallows A and B, on Monday.
Tom Felton Visits MTV Canada "MTV Live" on July 8, 2009 - The Masonic Temple - Toronto, Canada © Robin Wong / PR Photos.
AB - J. K Rowling has really started something, hasn’t she?
Tom Felton - She’s phenomenal for what she’s done for the world. I was very fortunate to see her in London and I had the opportunity to pass along my appreciation for everything she’s done, not just for me, although I wanted to thank her personally. I wanted to thank her for making reading cool again.
When the books first came out, I was part of the generation that saw reading as an uncool thing. Now if you haven’t read the Harry Potter books, you’re no one. And she’s paved the way for more books. These kids want to read more, like Twilight. There will be more books coming out for them. J.K. Rowling got it started with writing her stories. The progression is slightly more adult with Twilight, but she has paved the way for lots of authors yet to come.”
AB – Draco Malfoy has a truly unique look. The bleach blonde hair, that iconic dark suit. Do you get to keep the suit? No one else could wear it.
TF - No, do you believe that? I actually asked the chief costume designer if I could wear it to one of the premieres, but it’s such a cool suit and I actually like it. She was actually a little bit funny about letting me keep it for the night. You can tell that they keep the stuff under lock and guard. After Deathly Hallows I need to go for it! I’ll put it in my contract. It is a brilliant suit! I feel very grateful the rest of them are stuck in jumpers and stuff.
AB - The franchise is done two films from now. What will you do then? You’ll be so closely connected to it.
TF – I’d do anything that challenges me. I’d love to incorporate singing into acting work. There’s nothing I could now say Oh, No, I don’t want to do that. That’s what I want. It’s always been acting for me, but now I’m interested about behind the camera.
I worked very closely with the lighting person on the Half Blood Prince. It’s the most beautiful film of the six, without question. That’s made me interested in production, directing and writing shorts. Yes, I have a few ideas in my head. Not out of the question. No matter how much credit actors get, it’s the director who tells us what to do. It would be nice but scary if you do a project and have control of it.
AB – You’re 21 now. Harry Potter has consumed so much of your life and time, ten years and six films. It’s great, but do you feel you missed other opportunities because of it?
TF - Maybe when we were younger, between 12 and 15. Those years you miss your friends and holidays and class trips, you have to sacrifice a lot of that. Whatever I’ve missed out on I’ve well and truly gained more so I don’t feel hard done by at all.
AB – Are your castmates friends for life, after all you’ve been through together?
TF – Definitely. Certainly over the years, there were age gaps between us, a 14 won’t get along with an 11 year old so well. Now that we’re at the age of adulthood, I think we are all cemented together. And not just the cast. The crew has been there since the beginning. They’ve watched us grow up from ten years old. That’s the thing I’ll miss the most when it’s over.
AB – How do you with being Draco out in public? You’re so sunny, not like him at all.
TF – People don’t expect to see me smile. Kids don’t like it! Under six years old they don’t trust a smile at all. They run a mile and hide!
Your Talkback on this Story