Tom Felton is widely known for being open about his love for the Harry Potter franchise and rarely hesitates to share that passion with his devoted fans. However, the actor, who played Draco Malfoy in all eight movies, has also been known to discuss his personal life now and then. Now, Felton is getting very candid via his memoir, which is set to hit bookshelves this month. Ahead of its release, Felton shared some insight into his decision to write the book and even revealed that co-star Emma Watson encouraged him to “tell his story” – and not just the fun bits.
Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard chronicles Tom Felton’s life pre, mid and post-Potter. While his career has featured plenty of highs, there have also been a number of lows. So you can imagine that it would be tough for the 35-year-old actor to open up about some of the not-so-pleasant aspects of his journey. But as he said, his co-star – and a few others – gave him the encouragement he needed to speak his truth:
I was encouraged by a few people, Emma Watson specifically, to tell the whole story and not just sort of cherry-pick the fluffy bits.
It’s always nice seeing all of the Harry Potter cast together, but Tom Felton and Emma Watson have had some particularly adorable moments together. The two stars were incredibly close while making the Wizarding World movies, and Watson has even admitted that she had a crush on Felton when they were younger. However, the two have not been (and are not) romantically involved. Felton has addressed the romance rumors, shooting them down but saying that he adores his co-star. Despite that, the two still send each other love here and there, with Felton occasionally posting a sweet throwback pic. Given their bond, one can see how the Beauty and the Beast star would be someone to encourage Felton as he wrote his book.
And the writing process proved to be very beneficial for the actor, as he further explained to The Independent. It was freeing for him to reflect on his life, but his reasons for getting candid don’t just revolve around himself:
Not just because it was cathartic for me. But also in the hope that sharing those parts of my story will help others that are maybe not going through the best time.
The memoir details a number of key elements of the Forgotten Battle star’s professional and personal lives. One such topic from the former is his audition journey as an adult, which he describes as “far more frequent and cut-throat” than his experiences as a child actor. His decision to talk about this matter and more in such depth could absolutely be helpful to performers who are going through the same things.
It’s good to hear that the experience has been “cathartic” for Tom Felton, and it’s especially sweet to hear that Emma Watson was one of the folks who rooted him on throughout. Watson even wrote the introduction, in which she calls Felton her “soulmate.” These two certainly have a special connection, and one that I hope continues to endure as time goes on.
Those who want to see the two in their roles as Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger can stream the Harry Potter movies in order using a Peacock subscription. Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard will be released on October 13.
