IN CONVERSATION WITH TOM FELTON

interview by JANA LETONJA

Actor, producer, musician, and best-selling author Tom Felton has captivated audiences across stage and screen for over two decades. Beloved worldwide for his role as Draco Malfoy in the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, Tom has since built a diverse career with acclaimed performances in films such as ‘A United Kingdom’, ‘The Rise of the Planet of the Apes’, as well as Netflix’s hit ‘The Forgotten Battle’ and DC’s ‘The Flash’. On stage, he will soon reprise Draco Malfoy on Broadway in ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’. Audiences can currently also watch him as Josiah Oldfield in Hansal Mehta’s ‘Gandhi’, which premiered on 17th September at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. 

full look TOMMY HILFIGER

What does it mean to step back into Draco Malfoy’s shoes on Broadway?

It honestly feels surreal. I let go of Draco more than 15 years ago, so stepping back into his shoes now, on Broadway no less, is a real pinch me moment. This time I get to play him as an adult, as a father, which is something I never imagined. When I first put the blond wig on, I’ll admit, I had a little tear in my eye. It’s emotional in the best way.

Looking back, what did playing Draco teach you as both an actor and a person?

Playing Draco taught me empathy. As a child, I didn’t always understand his behaviour, but as I got older, I realised he was a product of his environment. That gave me a more nuanced view of people in general. As an actor, it was an early lesson in discipline and in embodying someone so different from myself. As a person, it taught me resilience, navigating fame, finding my own voice, and remembering who I am beyond the character.

blazer BOSS
shirt RALPH LAUREN
trousers AMIRI

How has the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise impacted your career and your life?

It changed everything. It gave me lifelong friends, mentors, and experiences I’ll always treasure. But it also meant growing up in a very unusual spotlight, which wasn’t always easy. The biggest lessons I’ve taken from it, about humility, loyalty, and mental health, stay with me every day, in every part of my life.

Your career spans film, theatre, and now writing. What drives you to keep exploring new creative outlets?

I’ve always been curious. I love telling stories in different forms. Each medium challenges me in new ways, and I never want to feel like I’m standing still. That drive to keep learning and surprising myself is what keeps me going.

full look BRIONI
watch TAG HEUER
jewellery DAVID YURMAN

In Hansal Mehta’s ‘Gandhi’, you’re playing Josiah Oldfield. What drew you to him?

His humanity. Oldfield’s friendship with Gandhi, his compassion, and his belief in justice really struck me. It’s such a fascinating story, and it feels both timeless and timely. It’s also very different from anything I’ve done before, which is exactly why I wanted to take it on.

After your stage debut in ‘2:22 A Ghost Story’, how has theatre changed your perspective as a performer?

Theatre is terrifying and exhilarating in equal measure. You can’t rely on another take. It’s you, the cast, and the audience in real time. That immediacy forces you to be fully present. It gave me a new respect for the craft and for the energy of live audiences. It’s addictive.

left:
full look TOMMY HILFIGER

right:
top CALVIN KLEIN
trousers AMIRI

You’ve worked with some incredible directors and actors. What’s one piece of advice or wisdom that’s stuck with you?

The importance of listening. Whether it’s to your fellow actors, the director, or even the silence between lines, listening is what makes a performance feel alive. I learned that from watching people like Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith. They were masters of it.

With such a varied career, how do you decide what projects to take on next?

I follow my gut. If a story excites me, if a character scares me a little, or if I feel I’ll grow from the experience, that’s usually the sign. I’m less concerned with size or profile of the project. It’s about what it gives me as an artist.

blazer and trousers LOEWE
shirt RALPH LAUREN
watch TAG HEUER
jewellery DAVID YURMAN

Your memoir ‘Beyond the Wand’ topped bestseller lists. How did that feel?

Honestly? Overwhelming. I wrote it as a very personal reflection, warts and all, on growing up in this magical but sometimes difficult world. To know that readers connected with the humour and the vulnerability was incredibly moving.

With ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ and ‘Gandhi’, what are you most excited for audiences to see from you in 2025?

With ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’, I’m excited for audiences to see Draco in a whole new light, as a father navigating love and legacy. With ‘Gandhi’, I’m excited to show a different side of myself entirely, in a story rooted in history and humanity. Both projects feel like milestones, and I can’t wait to share them.

TEAM CREDITS:

talent and creative direction TOM FELTON
creative direction and photography TYLER P. KENNY
styling RAZ MARTINEZ
styling assistants DIAMOND BUCHANAN and BRENNAN MCMILLEN
market editor JOYCE ONUORAH
grooming KENNEDY TRISLER
grooming assistant NIKOLAS MESA
lighting and grip JOHN CACCAMO
set design and construction ZACK MILLER
prop styling LEONID GUREVICH
videography EDDIE YASIN
production assistant MARK ROBERTS
management MADISON CROSS
lighting assistant, grip and special fx DYLAN KELLY
backdrops BROADERSON BACKDROPS
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
editorial director and interview JANA LETONJA
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN
coffee and catering INDICO COFFEE CO
special thanks JULIE STAHL, ANN LAWLOR and CYNTHIA ALTORISO