Tom Felton, with an arch eyebrow raised courtesy of his wand, embarked on a journey that felt almost too good to be true. Upon announcing his return to the magical world as Draco Malfoy in "Harry Potter and The Cursed Child," the Harry Potter alumnus could hardly believe his luck. "I fully expected someone to leap out from behind a curtain, declaring it all a clever hoax or a grand Punk’d prank," Tom confided to Keltie Knight of E! News at the 2025 Tony Awards Red Carpet on June 8. "But here we are. Convincing me was hardly necessary!"
Even though he bid adieu to Harry Potter's sworn enemy more than a decade and a half ago, the 37-year-old actor has kept Draco close to his heart. Intriguingly, he disclosed a profound bond with Jason Isaacs, who portrayed the patriarch Lucius Malfoy in the wizarding saga. (Catch a glimpse of all the stars here.) "To this day, I address him as dad, and he calls me son," Tom revealed about his 'White Lotus' co-star. "He is simply magnificent. I've learned immensely from him, both on and off the screen."
For the 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' actor, reprising his role as the Slytherin student for his Broadway debut in the play—set 19 years post the Battle of Hogwarts—felt akin to a homecoming. (Discover every Tony 2025 winner here.) "Any endeavor truly worth pursuing should instill a hint of nervousness," he continued to share with E!. "It's an old role, familiar territory, yet it marks a fresh chapter in Draco's life. Now, as a parent, I'm thrilled to delve into that aspect."
Indeed, when Tom first heard about this opportunity, he admitted it felt surreal. "I released that character 16 years ago, and now I get to slip back into his shoes, albeit this time as a father, in a whole new narrative," he shared on 'Today' on June 5. "The play stands as an autonomous story from the Potter films I grew up cherishing."
"We begin 19 years hence... we're no longer children," he elaborated. "We've transitioned into parents. Thus, though it's a revisit to an old role for me, it's equally a venture into uncharted, unfamiliar waters."