While Voldemort was the ultimate baddie in the Harry Potter movies, we can’t forget about Lucius Malfoy. Played by the ever-talented Jason Isaacs, he showed us where Harry’s school foe Draco got his foulness. If you can believe it, though, Isaacs admits over a decade after the movies released that they were actually quite “boring” to make with one silver lining that made it all worthwhile.
You’d think the Harry Potter movies would be fun to shoot. Playing Lucius Malfoy, Jason Isaacs got to don his wand on a magical film set with the legendary Potter cast. However, the British actor gave us the hard truth about what filming the fantasy franchise was really like in The One Show video with a heartwarming positive to being part of the Harry Potter legacy:
It's a terrible confession to make, they weren't that much fun to make. It's quite boring, making big special effects films. However, the pleasures all come afterwards, when I see and meet people for whom their lives were changed by [the franchise], and still people are reading it and sharing it with their children. Some people [are] saying their lives were saved by it, and I believe them. … Something happened — who knows why, when those ingredients came together, and the soufflé rose, and it created, just love around the world and a sense of inclusion.
I understand where Jason Isaacs is coming from with “big special effects films” being “boring” to shoot. When you’re surrounded by green screens and other special effects techniques, you don’t see what will appear in post-production. For instance, The Death of Stalin actor said the Quidditch scenes were difficult for him to shoot as he’s supposed to show his reactions to what he’s seeing. As Isaacs wasn’t looking at anything since those intense flying scenes would be added later in post, Alan Rickman gave his co-star hilarious advice to do “absolutely fucking nothing.” Considering what a natural actor Rickman was in his facial reactions saying more than words could, it’s the most sound advice he could give to bring out a stellar performance in his co-stars.
While filming Harry Potter may not have been as thrilling of an experience as it was for audiences watching, it’s beautiful to be part of a franchise that touched fans' lives. Those who admired J.K. Rowling’s best-selling series probably already felt themselves invited into The Wizarding World with the author’s descriptive details. Getting to see what they’ve envisioned come to life on screen with talented actors portraying these iconic characters must have been a dream come true for many.
One of the best ways for Harry Potter actors to get their loved ones to have the coolest fan experience yet of the series is by being part of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Jason Isaacs continued to talk about his reaction to bringing his young relatives to the tour and it’s incredibly moving:
Even though I was in the films, when I've taken godchildren or nephews and nieces to the tour and the thing comes up and suddenly you're in the Great Hall, every time, I burst out in tears. It's incredibly moving and overwhelming. There's some magic that happened in those stories in those books.
It’s absolutely magical how the Harry Potter series can bring people together. Even though Jason Isaacs previously admitted his kids don’t watch anything he’s in, hopefully that has or will change over the years so they can see their dad as a badass wizard.
To think that Jason Isaacs almost said no to playing Lucius as he was about to play another memorable villain, Captain Hook, in Peter Pan. But, his young relatives and their parents were begging him to take the Harry Potter antagonist role as a clever excuse to visit the set! So after that, how can you say no? Plus, The Legend of Korra voice actor said he loves playing a villain, calling them “the driving engine of the narrative.” So, it’s no surprise he took on Lucius Malfoy to help drive the story as one of Voldemort’s right-hand men.
Even though Jason Isaacs felt the Harry Potter movies were “boring” to make, there’s no denying his love for the positive effects he saw in his fans. I find him incredibly lucky he got to be part of a franchise that continues to touch the hearts of audiences and will continue to do so when the upcoming HBO original series releases in 2026. Until then, you can watch Isaacs fulfill the villain role that’s resonated hard with fans on your Peacock subscription and your Max subscription.
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