Tom Felton Shares Behind-the-Scenes Harry Potter Secrets While Watching Film for the First Time

Tom Felton, a.k.a. Draco in the Harry Potter series, had plenty of thoughts while viewing the initial film for the very first time during Peacock's livestream watch party on Tuesday, March 2.

By Ryan Gajewski Mar 03, 2021 8:30 AMTags
Watch: "Harry Potter" Turns 20: Live From E! Rewind

Somehow, there's a person out there who's never seen the first Harry Potter film, and even more surprisingly, that person starred in the actual film.

Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the beloved film franchise, viewed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the first time as part of a live watch party that streamed via Peacock's TikTok account on Tuesday, March 2. 

The 33-year-old actor started off the lively event by explaining he wishes he and his co-stars would reunite more often, and he described himself as the "middleman" of the group. He pointed out they are all hoping to get together to celebrate the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Oscar-nominated movie's November 2001 theatrical release. 

"Part of the reason why I want to do this is because I miss them all," Tom shared. He added that he has fond memories of Draco, calling him "a very fun character to play." 

The English performer shared plenty of behind-the-scenes secrets, including that he originally auditioned for the lead role. Obviously, the part ultimately went to Daniel Radcliffe, but Tom said he was thrilled to portray Draco. 

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Tom shared that the crew created a "real" version of each cast member's wand, along with a second version made from a foam substance, allowing the actors to safely carry them during running scenes.

Alas, he wasn't allowed to keep his wand or any other props from the storied films, as the production team was very strict about getting everything back. However, he was able to make his mark in one of the props, as he carved his name into a table on set during the first film. 

Warner Bros. Pictures

According to Tom, the four moving staircases were all physically on the set and set in motion, as opposed to being generated by special effects. 

He recalled that the audition scene for Harry was the early moment with a dragon. Director Chris Columbus substituted an egg for the dragon, so the actors had to use their imaginations while reciting their lines. 

Making the film was actually a bit of a family affair for young Tom. One day during filming, his father visited the set but was reprimanded for taking photos.

Tom also mentioned that his grandfather appears in the movie and can be seen in the stands of the Quidditch match, seated next to Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall). Tom explained that although his grandpa had no experience or interest in acting, the director spotted him and his huge beard and offered him the part of a teacher, which Tom's relative happily accepted.

 

When Tom was asked to name the hardest scene to shoot in the first film, he replied that "hard" isn't a word he would associate with making the movie, as the entire process was great fun.

The same could be said for watching him reminisce.

If you're now ready to get caught up with the films yourself, all eight Harry Potter flicks are streaming on Peacock.

(E! and Peacock are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

Peacock is live now! Check out NBCU's streaming service here.