Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty ImagesTom Felton is sticking up for superfans all around the world!
While promoting his new BBC documentary Tom Felton Meets the Superfans, the 27-year-old Harry Potter star explores the culture of being a superfan.
"People were dressed up as Stormtroopers, Gandalf and Dumbledore and my mates thought it was fascinating but also really weird," Felton tells BBC, recalling an experience at a fan convention. "Yet my friends were more than happy to dress up in a football kit and scream at the TV for Manchester United, even though they've never even been to Manchester. Why is kicking a ball into a net any less weird than liking a fictitious wizard?"
The Brit star added, "For things like sport or music, it's considered cool to be a superfan but as soon as it goes into Star Trek or My Little Pony or something a little bit obscure, it becomes a bit weird and people are keen to look down on it."
Felton has obviously had many encounters with fans of the Harry Potter franchise.
"When you see fans at premieres usually it's the same faces but you only see them for 10 seconds at a time," he said. "[But] they start to build up a relationship of support and recognition with the stars—it's hugely rewarding."