What Is It Like To Hug Voldemort? Tom Felton Shared The Story Behind That Harry Potter Scene And Why It Was 'The Worst Hug I've Ever Had'

Malfoy looking very sad in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

There are tons of chilling and hunting moments throughout the Harry Potter movies; however, one small one that really makes me uncomfortable is when Voldemort hugs Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. The mix of sadness over Malfoy going back to his parents and the weirdness of He Who Shall Not Be Named embracing him made for quite an unsettling scene, and according to Tom Felton, it was also unsettling to film.

As I mentioned, this is an unnerving moment, and whenever I watch it happen, I wonder what it was like to play it out on set. Thankfully, Jake Hamilton asked Felton what it was like to hug Voldemort, and without hesitation, the Draco Malfoy actor said:

Not good. Mate, that’s the worst hug I’ve ever had. Also, we shot that for a long time, and I must have done that walk across the courtyard 50 times; only once did he hug me.

Listen, Voldemort is probably the last person I’d ever want a hug from. He’s so scary, and Ralph Fiennes plays him in a way that truly makes him feel like he’s an untouchable, truly evil being.

What makes this moment even wilder is that it was unscripted. As Felton said, they filmed that sequence about 50 times, and his co-star only hugged him once. The fact that that was the take they chose to use in the movie makes this whole situation even more interesting.

Continuing his story, Tom Felton said that every time his co-star raised his arms while they filmed this scene, it was “terrifying,” explaining:

Even when he brought his hands out, I was like, ‘Wait, what is he doing? He’s trying to hug me, OK, this is awkward.’ No acting required on my part. I was like, ‘This is terrifying.’

It’s also worth noting that this instance happened in front of the entire Harry Potter cast during a moment where it’s believed that Harry is dead and Voldemort is trying to get people to his side. When no one willingly walks over, Draco’s parents urge him to come, and he does. All of that alone is tragic and awkward, however, the hug really pushes it over the edge in a brilliant way.

I feel like Felton’s story further exemplifies why the Harry Potter movies are some of Ralph Fiennes’s best films. Even though he was “resistant” to play Voldemort at first, he ultimately said yes and gave an incredible, scary and surprising performance. This instance is proof of all that.

Overall, this scene in the final Harry Potter film is one of many that add up to create the epic conclusion that is Deathly Hallows. I love that the choice was made, and it sounds truly horrifying to be hugged by Voldemort both in that story and in real life, and I’m happy Tom Felton went through with it.

To re-watch the Harry Potter movies and this scene where Draco gets hugged by Voldemort, you can stream them all with a Max subscription.

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Riley Utley is the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. She has written for national publications as well as daily and alt-weekly newspapers in Spokane, Washington, Syracuse, New York and Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with her master’s degree in arts journalism and communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Since joining the CB team she has covered numerous TV shows and movies -- including her personal favorite shows Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She also has followed and consistently written about everything from Taylor Swift to Fire Country, and she's enjoyed every second of it.