Fresh off winning Favorite Broadway Debut at our #iHeartAwards2026, Tom Felton stop by to talk all thing 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' on Broadway!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm a little nervous.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Tom Felton is here, and so eleven years ago, did
you pop out as Draco A look kid?
Speaker 3 (00:10):
I want to say it was twenty five years ago.
Was the first time I ever held a wand and I.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Must say in these twenty five years later, I look
at you and you were such an ahole.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
I disagree.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Gandhi would disagree.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I didn't know profanity was allowed. It's not, but that's
I think that's allowed. It's very accurate. You really that
character was just the meanest little bird. Yes, you did
such a great job.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
You remind me of the very first premiere that we
went to, I think two thousand and one Leicester Square.
I had never really been to a film premiere of
this size, and I came out of the cinema eleven
years old, and I think about five or six year
old ran up to me and he called me, you're
such an actop. I was very I was quite confused.
(01:04):
But my grandfather, he said to me at the time.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Good job.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yeah, yeah, and that's what they're supposed to think.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
So obviously you succeeded as a kid.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Is that tough to know that there are people out
there who get it confused and they actually hate you.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
It took him minute. It took him minute. Yeah, but
such as the potency of Draco. I suppose, like if
they call you, well, any one of those names, a slimy,
get selfish sod. He realized that you've done your job,
done your job well.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
So well, of course we all know how your character
has turned into a different a different person. Yes, and
we'll get into that in a minute. But go back,
I mean, hold you in your mind and in your heart.
You go back those twenty five years and remember what
it was like on the set, all these kids, you guys,
all there together in this bigger than life production, not
knowing what it would turn into. I mean, what was
(01:59):
that feeling back like? What was it feeling like back
then for you?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Well, like you said, we were just kids, I mean,
quite brilliantly, Chris Columbus, the director of the first film,
didn't let us see the Great Hall before seeing it
on film, So all of us looking around in awe
at the spectacular set they built and leave some studios.
It was just it was genuine, really, it was very
We were allowed to be kids, and I think none
(02:24):
of us ever expected to get off a plane in
Japan and find out that people have been watching it there,
and then subsequently, what's happened since we finished the films?
It's the Wizarding World is going strong.
Speaker 5 (02:37):
Yeah, you didn't watch the movies for like years and
finally you went back to watch them again.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
I still really haven't rewatched them, really, I won't. Like
they do come on quite frequently on TV, so and
my friends often se many clips or my brother does,
taking the mickey out of how how little I was.
But yeah, no, I still haven't. I'm sort of saving
it with the idea that one day I'll get to
watch it with my little muggles if I have someone,
(03:06):
and see how long it takes for them to realize
that their dad is.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I'm sure they pretty much already knew that. So I mean,
have you have you been to the Universal Universal Orlando?
Absolutely to see what they've done there?
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Are you in the rides? Yeah, you are.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Part of one. But I knew that you were on film,
but I didn't know you physically.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Well, I went up my first I think one of
my first trips to America was the great you know
Orlando trip of theme parks where they were built bigger
and bigger and better than anything that I'd ever seen before.
So I think it went twice when I was maybe nine,
maybe like fifteen. Never in a million years that I
think I would be back at Universal cutting the red
(03:51):
ribbon to Hogsmead and Diagonalely, it's very surreal and it's
still I still pinch myself, and I refused to be
indifferent about how how far we've come since the first
from stick Ride.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Did you like the butter beer? I love the butter
but the iced one is much better than.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
The I agree. I say the ice one's perfect, especially
in the hate, but I think one's enough.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Yeah, he says that it hurts my teeth. Oh, you
know what I wanted to ask you?
Speaker 5 (04:17):
You so you are. Now they're doing a new Harry
Potter now the new series, and Draco is being played
by Locks Pratt. And I heard that you reached out
to Locks to say, Hey, if you need any advice,
here's my phone number. You know you can always call
me and get in touch with me.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Absolutely, I'm very excited for again the Wizarding World continues.
I'm very excited to see what they come cook up.
But absolutely not that I feel any responsibility or paternal role.
But he'll have his own adventure. But yes, we're we're
in touch and he's being well looked after and having fun.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
We're with Tom Felton, by the way, who is starring
as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Cursage Child.
How's it going so far? On stage? Still with a
wand in your hand, you couldn't write it. Are living
in New York?
Speaker 3 (05:06):
I am. It's my first time actually living in New York.
I've been here for a few premiers over the years.
I am in love with New York. I can't quite
put my finger on why.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
We always say it's the city we love to hate,
hate to love.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
There's definitely something very unique and obviously growing up near
London and living in various cities over the years, it's
been a lot of fun. But there's something about New York,
especially now in spring as you starting to warm up
a bit, where yeah, it's very exciting to be.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You know, going to see this production, this play. It's
more than just going to see a story you know
a little about or a lot about. The energy from
the audience members. A lot of these people are total
students of everything Harry Potter. Yes, they've read all the
books forty five times. They're familiar with all these characters
that kind of come and go and up here, here
and there. Yes, you're talking about your son actually, so
(05:59):
I know that.
Speaker 5 (06:00):
So for people who don't know what the show The
Curse of Child is about, it's actually after it's all
about their kids. So you've all had kids and everybody
you know, it's about their lives, and characters appear that
haven't been seen in a while, like the girl in
the well. When I tell you I turned to my son,
I thought his head was going to pop off. I'm
like what. The people were screaming and yelling so excited
(06:21):
about these characters that reappear that you haven't seen in
a while.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Yeah, it's remarkable, and it's every single show. There's no
lack of enthusiasm from the crowd, which, by the way,
thank you for anyone that has come and express their enthusiasm.
But I think it's the best of both really because
you get to there's lots of people that are seeing
characters that they know and they love, including the Malfoys.
(06:45):
Because I have a son now and I'm exactly the
age that I would be when I left the films
to adopt aiden close. Who's whose Scorpius Malfoy. A lot
of the story revolves around him. But the thing that
excites me the most is that it brings people that
Wizarding World has touched and it means so much to them.
But also there's lots of people that have never been
(07:06):
to a Broadway show. In fact, most of the little ones, I imagine,
this is their first Broadway experience and for them to
get the ball rolling and see how spectacular it is.
Because theatre was such a big influence on my life,
it's pretty cool to be at the at the helm
of that.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Let's talk about live theater.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Let's talk about first of all, when you walk out
on this and onto the stage in this production, you
know you have a fan.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
You have you've got fans. They're ready to pick you up.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
A lot of people doing stage work, you know, they
walk out, people are not that familiar with the story
or the play. Sometimes they're like, well, we don't know
if you know this actor, if he's any good whatever.
You walk out, they're like, oh, there's our guy. We
feel safe with him.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
We love him.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
But the difference between doing Broadway and film and you've
you've been doing films, definitely doing the Broadway thing. Now, yes,
you're doing these performances, but like yesterday for instance, two
performances in a day, weeks and weeks and weeks of
doing lots of performances.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Does this just wear you out? It seems like a
lot of work.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I won't lie. It's just a lot of work and
more than I expected. But the great thing is obviously,
when you shoot a film, generally speaking, it takes quite
a long time and you don't get to see the
result of it for ten months or a couple of years,
whereas the audience are almost the director of the of
the show because you get instant feedback and it's just
(08:26):
really really rewarding to see how excited people get about
their favorite characters, Mony Myrtle by.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
The way.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Right and wait.
Speaker 5 (08:46):
And the special effects are insane, like there's there's parts
in the show where you actually feel like you're dizzy,
like it's moving in this weird way. It's so crazy.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Yeah, we use some incredible uh not technology more Victorian
magic where things are happening right live in front of you.
That's the other thing, not to ruin it for everyone.
But when we use spells on the set, not a
lot happened, and they added in all the effects in afterwards,
whereas life on stage, you get to see how powerful
(09:16):
they have to make it happen, and it does, and
it's from I think this thing's making all that money
it's making, by the way, it truly is. I think
the biggest money maker on in Broadway history. Is this true?
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Am I making this up?
Speaker 3 (09:27):
I think we're doing all right.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Let's keep the doors open.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
There is a straight play.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
So you have been in the world of wizardry and
witchcraft and all this for the majority of your life
at this point, is there anything that currently seems mythical
that you actually do believe in, whether it's Unicorn's leprechauns
or a conspiracy theory?
Speaker 3 (09:54):
I did on coming answer the question plenty, but I
don't know where to start with that one.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Really.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
I definitely believe in magic. There's a lot more going
on than we than we know about, and I think so.
I think it's like the magic of theater. You know,
if you you went to the theater and you watched
the show just by yourself, A bit like Netflix at
home versus seeing it with a live audience with you know,
a collective experience. It's something untangible. There's no word for it.
(10:27):
I don't think other than atmosphere or you know, collective experience.
But there's something very special about that.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
You don't want to get me. There's so many. I mean,
we could start with the lizard people in Hollywood.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
I was thinking about more like moon landings and stuff.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Have you ever taken something from the set and taken
it home and now it's in your house?
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Absolutely not?
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Which is at the ring on your finger? You're stealing
jewelry from this.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
That was one of my pieces of advice to young
locks was you know what.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I remember Tom when the books came out, the movies
were coming out, and I'm sure this this holds true
today with the stage play itself. You as a parent
now in your role. I had a really good friend
who was just a loner at school. He was bullied
a lot he as a child. He just so so
so connected with Harry and his friends were all the
(11:34):
other characters you were, your original Malfoy was the bully
he actually went to school with. And so the connection
people made with that film, and that storyline back then
was just tremendous. You know, this kid was living under
a staircase and his uncle, I guess was his the Yes,
just the worst people in the world.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
So many kids were.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Into that book because they could relate with that storyline.
Still to this day, this is going on. Can you
think of any other franchise or storyline from any other
movie or stage play that resonates so much with such
a massive audience.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
No, really, there's there's something very very special and magical,
for lack of a better pun about about the Potter world.
I mean, I grew up with st Jurassic Park and
toy story and lots of other great influences on my life.
But I've never seen anything bring more people together, especially
(12:31):
as you've just said, some of the most ostracized people.
Potter brings them all together, which is kind of It's
pretty magical. It's very magical. It's cool. It's still going
on now, and you can all relate to each character
from the from the girl in the weld or Potter
or being being the bully that Malfoy was, but also
(12:52):
to see behind the reason why he was a slimy git.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
I mean, you can strip away all the magic, all
the effects and everything. It's still just a great story
about relationships between kids and adults.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Absolutely, I can attest to that. I've had my three
brothers come out to see the show. All of them
fell asleep during the premierees of the film, none of them.
None of them fell asleep. And they are all fathers,
so they really related to the father son and family
family theme of the play.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
What do you think about social media? Like back then
when you guys were all growing up, there was no
social media while you guys were filming. Now, all the
youth coming up that are filming and all these things
they have to deal with social media and what happens
you know when they post themselves on there.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Yeah, it's a whole new world, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (13:41):
Yeah, you guys would have been all right? Or what
do you think?
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Well? I don't know. I mean, I grew up at
least for the first ten years of my life having
to go to the library to have an encyclopedia to
find out what a certain thing is. I couldn't google it.
Even the early days of Internet, we didn't have that.
So it's a whole separate beast. Do you guys, are
you Are you on your socials?
Speaker 1 (14:02):
I still go to the library every day. I have
to be on our socials.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
It's part of the job enough. I mean, you'll never
get rid of the tangibility of a book in your
hand for me. But I love the good things that
come out of social media about us. All being able
to be in touch is fantastic and anything else. I
sort of I spend more time seemingly looking after my
dogs than I do on social media.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Dogs to New York with him, by the way I did.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
That was one of the deal breakers, is that I
wanted my two labradors, Forrest and Willow to come out.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
They are.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
They're a little they're a little first shell shocked that
for how much the city is, it works at a
pace like that doesn't matter. They're used to sort of
countryside fields, but they are, Yeah, they're well accustomed.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Now, well, how are you adjusting to New York City?
I know you said you love it, but what's the
most shocking part to you being here?
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Now? I would say shocking. I realize I learned that
downtown I thought was just a generic face, whereas in
Manhattan downtown literally means downtown.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Pretty much. Well, compare that.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
To the London tube system, which is very convoluted and
hard to sort of understand. It's very very handy. But
I also I was hoping my other deal breaker things,
I want my mom out here for Christmas, because I
never missed a Christmas without being with my mom. So
they said, you can't go home pretty much. So I said, right, well,
you have to bring my family out here. And it's snow,
(15:27):
had a white christ and one of my dogs had
never seen snow before, so Forrest was very excited. A bit.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Forrest needs to understand that snow in New York is
a different colors brown, brown.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
And yellow.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
It was nice for a day or two.
Speaker 5 (15:41):
Yes, congratulations you one favorite Broadway debut for iHeartRadio child.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I was I'm not clapping. I'll tell you why he didn't.
You didn't show up for the awards. You had an
award waiting for you. I could have gone up to
accept for you. I believe we have one for you.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Here's why.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Marvelous Well, actually, huge thank you to all your listeners. Thanks, huge,
thank you. It was something that I would never say
thank you to my mom.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
I give it back.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Not something that I ever saw coming. But I'm very
very grateful for the fans out there that voted.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
That's so cool, so cool.
Speaker 6 (16:22):
Yeah, Nate, Okay, so you you kind of did this
and it was quite a treat for me in the
green room. You did your famous delivery of Potter, and
you have this way of saying it that it is
so much disdain. Was that a conscious decision? And I
know you've talked about this before, but I want to
hear it directly from you.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
When you say Potter not bad? Can I hear everyone
else's best attempt? Potter? Very good Potter, very good Potter
not as good, very good? Well Potter?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
He really cos that stung my nipples for giving you
another awards?
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Not really? No, I often think back to my three
brothers again. I mean I was I was treated with
brotherly love growing up, which meant that I never got
to sit on the couch or you know, I was
basically bullied by my brothers. So I got to use
that as my as my ventor of of brotherly frustration.
But no, I had no idea it would turn intoward.
It has turned into needless to say, every night, well
(17:33):
brings the brings the house up.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
So here you are.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Tom Felton is of course storing a strike on Malfoy
and Harry Potter and the Chris Child. But Daniel Radcliffe
is down the street doing every brilliant thing. Have you
seen that yet? Yes, I've heard it is brilliant and
he's there. Tom May I want to go see it before,
Really he should. It's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
It's such a unique play, such a unique experience for
people that that maybe have gone to see shows before haven't.
And for grudgingly I say, he is fantastic. He really is.
And if you told us twenty five years ago with
Broomsticks that we would be on Broadway together at the
same time, we would never have believed. So it's pretty special.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
Are you guys all still friends like the Castle Stays
in Touch from the movie?
Speaker 3 (18:15):
Absolutely not. Now it sounds cheesy, but we're very much
a family. We're often in four corners of the earth
at the same time, so we don't get to see
each other as much as we like. But yes, now
that Daniel's down the road from me, I get a
chance to hang out with him a bit more.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
This has obviously been such a huge part of your life,
the majority of your life playing these characters and being
part of this world. Does it ever get to a
point with you where you think, maybe I'm finished with
this now, I'm ready to wrap it up and move
on to other things, because we've spent the whole time
talking about this, and you do all kinds of other
projects as well.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Yeah. Absolutely, I've been lucky that it's been well. Nineteen
years later, it's the last chapter of the book. It
has been well. It's been quite a few years since
the film's finished, and I have lots of other things
going on. Certainly thought I'd put the one down for forever,
but apparently my Wizarding Year is the best is yet
to yet to come. So I celebrate the fandom more
(19:10):
than anything, and the passion that he's talked about. People's
perspective of life have changed because of these stories, and
to be part of that and to see it every
night like last night I was. I tried to like
crawl into the stage door slightly masked up, and there
must have been four different languages. I heard, families that
(19:30):
have come from around the world just to see this show.
So to be able to a chance to experience that
is something I'll never forget.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Really, amazing. Yeah, Tom, thank you so much for coming
in to see us today. My pleasure, Tom Felton, of course,
Storring astorycor Malfoy, Harry Potter in The.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Potter than so much, Tom, enjoy New York. It's a
pleasure to be here the way you found it. I
do my best.
I'm a little nervous.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Tom Felton is here, and so eleven years ago, did
you pop out as Draco A look kid?
Speaker 3 (00:10):
I want to say it was twenty five years ago.
Was the first time I ever held a wand and I.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Must say in these twenty five years later, I look
at you and you were such an ahole.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
I disagree.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Gandhi would disagree.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I didn't know profanity was allowed. It's not, but that's
I think that's allowed. It's very accurate. You really that
character was just the meanest little bird. Yes, you did
such a great job.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
You remind me of the very first premiere that we
went to, I think two thousand and one Leicester Square.
I had never really been to a film premiere of
this size, and I came out of the cinema eleven
years old, and I think about five or six year
old ran up to me and he called me, you're
such an actop. I was very I was quite confused.
(01:04):
But my grandfather, he said to me at the time.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Good job.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yeah, yeah, and that's what they're supposed to think.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
So obviously you succeeded as a kid.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Is that tough to know that there are people out
there who get it confused and they actually hate you.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
It took him minute. It took him minute. Yeah, but
such as the potency of Draco. I suppose, like if
they call you, well, any one of those names, a slimy,
get selfish sod. He realized that you've done your job,
done your job well.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
So well, of course we all know how your character
has turned into a different a different person. Yes, and
we'll get into that in a minute. But go back,
I mean, hold you in your mind and in your heart.
You go back those twenty five years and remember what
it was like on the set, all these kids, you guys,
all there together in this bigger than life production, not
knowing what it would turn into. I mean, what was
(01:59):
that feeling back like? What was it feeling like back
then for you?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Well, like you said, we were just kids, I mean,
quite brilliantly, Chris Columbus, the director of the first film,
didn't let us see the Great Hall before seeing it
on film, So all of us looking around in awe
at the spectacular set they built and leave some studios.
It was just it was genuine, really, it was very
We were allowed to be kids, and I think none
(02:24):
of us ever expected to get off a plane in
Japan and find out that people have been watching it there,
and then subsequently, what's happened since we finished the films?
It's the Wizarding World is going strong.
Speaker 5 (02:37):
Yeah, you didn't watch the movies for like years and
finally you went back to watch them again.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
I still really haven't rewatched them, really, I won't. Like
they do come on quite frequently on TV, so and
my friends often se many clips or my brother does,
taking the mickey out of how how little I was.
But yeah, no, I still haven't. I'm sort of saving
it with the idea that one day I'll get to
watch it with my little muggles if I have someone,
(03:06):
and see how long it takes for them to realize
that their dad is.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I'm sure they pretty much already knew that. So I mean,
have you have you been to the Universal Universal Orlando?
Absolutely to see what they've done there?
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Are you in the rides? Yeah, you are.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Part of one. But I knew that you were on film,
but I didn't know you physically.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Well, I went up my first I think one of
my first trips to America was the great you know
Orlando trip of theme parks where they were built bigger
and bigger and better than anything that I'd ever seen before.
So I think it went twice when I was maybe nine,
maybe like fifteen. Never in a million years that I
think I would be back at Universal cutting the red
(03:51):
ribbon to Hogsmead and Diagonalely, it's very surreal and it's
still I still pinch myself, and I refused to be
indifferent about how how far we've come since the first
from stick Ride.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Did you like the butter beer? I love the butter
but the iced one is much better than.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
The I agree. I say the ice one's perfect, especially
in the hate, but I think one's enough.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Yeah, he says that it hurts my teeth. Oh, you
know what I wanted to ask you?
Speaker 5 (04:17):
You so you are. Now they're doing a new Harry
Potter now the new series, and Draco is being played
by Locks Pratt. And I heard that you reached out
to Locks to say, Hey, if you need any advice,
here's my phone number. You know you can always call
me and get in touch with me.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Absolutely, I'm very excited for again the Wizarding World continues.
I'm very excited to see what they come cook up.
But absolutely not that I feel any responsibility or paternal role.
But he'll have his own adventure. But yes, we're we're
in touch and he's being well looked after and having fun.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
We're with Tom Felton, by the way, who is starring
as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Cursage Child.
How's it going so far? On stage? Still with a
wand in your hand, you couldn't write it. Are living
in New York?
Speaker 3 (05:06):
I am. It's my first time actually living in New York.
I've been here for a few premiers over the years.
I am in love with New York. I can't quite
put my finger on why.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
We always say it's the city we love to hate,
hate to love.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
There's definitely something very unique and obviously growing up near
London and living in various cities over the years, it's
been a lot of fun. But there's something about New York,
especially now in spring as you starting to warm up
a bit, where yeah, it's very exciting to be.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You know, going to see this production, this play. It's
more than just going to see a story you know
a little about or a lot about. The energy from
the audience members. A lot of these people are total
students of everything Harry Potter. Yes, they've read all the
books forty five times. They're familiar with all these characters
that kind of come and go and up here, here
and there. Yes, you're talking about your son actually, so
(05:59):
I know that.
Speaker 5 (06:00):
So for people who don't know what the show The
Curse of Child is about, it's actually after it's all
about their kids. So you've all had kids and everybody
you know, it's about their lives, and characters appear that
haven't been seen in a while, like the girl in
the well. When I tell you I turned to my son,
I thought his head was going to pop off. I'm
like what. The people were screaming and yelling so excited
(06:21):
about these characters that reappear that you haven't seen in
a while.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Yeah, it's remarkable, and it's every single show. There's no
lack of enthusiasm from the crowd, which, by the way,
thank you for anyone that has come and express their enthusiasm.
But I think it's the best of both really because
you get to there's lots of people that are seeing
characters that they know and they love, including the Malfoys.
(06:45):
Because I have a son now and I'm exactly the
age that I would be when I left the films
to adopt aiden close. Who's whose Scorpius Malfoy. A lot
of the story revolves around him. But the thing that
excites me the most is that it brings people that
Wizarding World has touched and it means so much to them.
But also there's lots of people that have never been
(07:06):
to a Broadway show. In fact, most of the little ones, I imagine,
this is their first Broadway experience and for them to
get the ball rolling and see how spectacular it is.
Because theatre was such a big influence on my life,
it's pretty cool to be at the at the helm
of that.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Let's talk about live theater.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Let's talk about first of all, when you walk out
on this and onto the stage in this production, you
know you have a fan.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
You have you've got fans. They're ready to pick you up.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
A lot of people doing stage work, you know, they
walk out, people are not that familiar with the story
or the play. Sometimes they're like, well, we don't know
if you know this actor, if he's any good whatever.
You walk out, they're like, oh, there's our guy. We
feel safe with him.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
We love him.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
But the difference between doing Broadway and film and you've
you've been doing films, definitely doing the Broadway thing. Now, yes,
you're doing these performances, but like yesterday for instance, two
performances in a day, weeks and weeks and weeks of
doing lots of performances.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Does this just wear you out? It seems like a
lot of work.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I won't lie. It's just a lot of work and
more than I expected. But the great thing is obviously,
when you shoot a film, generally speaking, it takes quite
a long time and you don't get to see the
result of it for ten months or a couple of years,
whereas the audience are almost the director of the of
the show because you get instant feedback and it's just
(08:26):
really really rewarding to see how excited people get about
their favorite characters, Mony Myrtle by.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
The way.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Right and wait.
Speaker 5 (08:46):
And the special effects are insane, like there's there's parts
in the show where you actually feel like you're dizzy,
like it's moving in this weird way. It's so crazy.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Yeah, we use some incredible uh not technology more Victorian
magic where things are happening right live in front of you.
That's the other thing, not to ruin it for everyone.
But when we use spells on the set, not a
lot happened, and they added in all the effects in afterwards,
whereas life on stage, you get to see how powerful
(09:16):
they have to make it happen, and it does, and
it's from I think this thing's making all that money
it's making, by the way, it truly is. I think
the biggest money maker on in Broadway history. Is this true?
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Am I making this up?
Speaker 3 (09:27):
I think we're doing all right.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Let's keep the doors open.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
There is a straight play.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
So you have been in the world of wizardry and
witchcraft and all this for the majority of your life
at this point, is there anything that currently seems mythical
that you actually do believe in, whether it's Unicorn's leprechauns
or a conspiracy theory?
Speaker 3 (09:54):
I did on coming answer the question plenty, but I
don't know where to start with that one.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Really.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
I definitely believe in magic. There's a lot more going
on than we than we know about, and I think so.
I think it's like the magic of theater. You know,
if you you went to the theater and you watched
the show just by yourself, A bit like Netflix at
home versus seeing it with a live audience with you know,
a collective experience. It's something untangible. There's no word for it.
(10:27):
I don't think other than atmosphere or you know, collective experience.
But there's something very special about that.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
You don't want to get me. There's so many. I mean,
we could start with the lizard people in Hollywood.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
I was thinking about more like moon landings and stuff.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Have you ever taken something from the set and taken
it home and now it's in your house?
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Absolutely not?
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Which is at the ring on your finger? You're stealing
jewelry from this.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
That was one of my pieces of advice to young
locks was you know what.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I remember Tom when the books came out, the movies
were coming out, and I'm sure this this holds true
today with the stage play itself. You as a parent
now in your role. I had a really good friend
who was just a loner at school. He was bullied
a lot he as a child. He just so so
so connected with Harry and his friends were all the
(11:34):
other characters you were, your original Malfoy was the bully
he actually went to school with. And so the connection
people made with that film, and that storyline back then
was just tremendous. You know, this kid was living under
a staircase and his uncle, I guess was his the Yes,
just the worst people in the world.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
So many kids were.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Into that book because they could relate with that storyline.
Still to this day, this is going on. Can you
think of any other franchise or storyline from any other
movie or stage play that resonates so much with such
a massive audience.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
No, really, there's there's something very very special and magical,
for lack of a better pun about about the Potter world.
I mean, I grew up with st Jurassic Park and
toy story and lots of other great influences on my life.
But I've never seen anything bring more people together, especially
(12:31):
as you've just said, some of the most ostracized people.
Potter brings them all together, which is kind of It's
pretty magical. It's very magical. It's cool. It's still going
on now, and you can all relate to each character
from the from the girl in the weld or Potter
or being being the bully that Malfoy was, but also
(12:52):
to see behind the reason why he was a slimy git.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
I mean, you can strip away all the magic, all
the effects and everything. It's still just a great story
about relationships between kids and adults.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Absolutely, I can attest to that. I've had my three
brothers come out to see the show. All of them
fell asleep during the premierees of the film, none of them.
None of them fell asleep. And they are all fathers,
so they really related to the father son and family
family theme of the play.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
What do you think about social media? Like back then
when you guys were all growing up, there was no
social media while you guys were filming. Now, all the
youth coming up that are filming and all these things
they have to deal with social media and what happens
you know when they post themselves on there.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Yeah, it's a whole new world, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (13:41):
Yeah, you guys would have been all right? Or what
do you think?
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Well? I don't know. I mean, I grew up at
least for the first ten years of my life having
to go to the library to have an encyclopedia to
find out what a certain thing is. I couldn't google it.
Even the early days of Internet, we didn't have that.
So it's a whole separate beast. Do you guys, are
you Are you on your socials?
Speaker 1 (14:02):
I still go to the library every day. I have
to be on our socials.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
It's part of the job enough. I mean, you'll never
get rid of the tangibility of a book in your
hand for me. But I love the good things that
come out of social media about us. All being able
to be in touch is fantastic and anything else. I
sort of I spend more time seemingly looking after my
dogs than I do on social media.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Dogs to New York with him, by the way I did.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
That was one of the deal breakers, is that I
wanted my two labradors, Forrest and Willow to come out.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
They are.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
They're a little they're a little first shell shocked that
for how much the city is, it works at a
pace like that doesn't matter. They're used to sort of
countryside fields, but they are, Yeah, they're well accustomed.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Now, well, how are you adjusting to New York City?
I know you said you love it, but what's the
most shocking part to you being here?
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Now? I would say shocking. I realize I learned that
downtown I thought was just a generic face, whereas in
Manhattan downtown literally means downtown.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
Pretty much. Well, compare that.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
To the London tube system, which is very convoluted and
hard to sort of understand. It's very very handy. But
I also I was hoping my other deal breaker things,
I want my mom out here for Christmas, because I
never missed a Christmas without being with my mom. So
they said, you can't go home pretty much. So I said, right, well,
you have to bring my family out here. And it's snow,
(15:27):
had a white christ and one of my dogs had
never seen snow before, so Forrest was very excited. A bit.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Forrest needs to understand that snow in New York is
a different colors brown, brown.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
And yellow.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
It was nice for a day or two.
Speaker 5 (15:41):
Yes, congratulations you one favorite Broadway debut for iHeartRadio child.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I was I'm not clapping. I'll tell you why he didn't.
You didn't show up for the awards. You had an
award waiting for you. I could have gone up to
accept for you. I believe we have one for you.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Here's why.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Marvelous Well, actually, huge thank you to all your listeners. Thanks, huge,
thank you. It was something that I would never say
thank you to my mom.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
I give it back.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Not something that I ever saw coming. But I'm very
very grateful for the fans out there that voted.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
That's so cool, so cool.
Speaker 6 (16:22):
Yeah, Nate, Okay, so you you kind of did this
and it was quite a treat for me in the
green room. You did your famous delivery of Potter, and
you have this way of saying it that it is
so much disdain. Was that a conscious decision? And I
know you've talked about this before, but I want to
hear it directly from you.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
When you say Potter not bad? Can I hear everyone
else's best attempt? Potter? Very good Potter, very good Potter
not as good, very good? Well Potter?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
He really cos that stung my nipples for giving you
another awards?
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Not really? No, I often think back to my three
brothers again. I mean I was I was treated with
brotherly love growing up, which meant that I never got
to sit on the couch or you know, I was
basically bullied by my brothers. So I got to use
that as my as my ventor of of brotherly frustration.
But no, I had no idea it would turn intoward.
It has turned into needless to say, every night, well
(17:33):
brings the brings the house up.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
So here you are.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Tom Felton is of course storing a strike on Malfoy
and Harry Potter and the Chris Child. But Daniel Radcliffe
is down the street doing every brilliant thing. Have you
seen that yet? Yes, I've heard it is brilliant and
he's there. Tom May I want to go see it before,
Really he should. It's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
It's such a unique play, such a unique experience for
people that that maybe have gone to see shows before haven't.
And for grudgingly I say, he is fantastic. He really is.
And if you told us twenty five years ago with
Broomsticks that we would be on Broadway together at the
same time, we would never have believed. So it's pretty special.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
Are you guys all still friends like the Castle Stays
in Touch from the movie?
Speaker 3 (18:15):
Absolutely not. Now it sounds cheesy, but we're very much
a family. We're often in four corners of the earth
at the same time, so we don't get to see
each other as much as we like. But yes, now
that Daniel's down the road from me, I get a
chance to hang out with him a bit more.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
This has obviously been such a huge part of your life,
the majority of your life playing these characters and being
part of this world. Does it ever get to a
point with you where you think, maybe I'm finished with
this now, I'm ready to wrap it up and move
on to other things, because we've spent the whole time
talking about this, and you do all kinds of other
projects as well.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Yeah. Absolutely, I've been lucky that it's been well. Nineteen
years later, it's the last chapter of the book. It
has been well. It's been quite a few years since
the film's finished, and I have lots of other things
going on. Certainly thought I'd put the one down for forever,
but apparently my Wizarding Year is the best is yet
to yet to come. So I celebrate the fandom more
(19:10):
than anything, and the passion that he's talked about. People's
perspective of life have changed because of these stories, and
to be part of that and to see it every
night like last night I was. I tried to like
crawl into the stage door slightly masked up, and there
must have been four different languages. I heard, families that
(19:30):
have come from around the world just to see this show.
So to be able to a chance to experience that
is something I'll never forget.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Really, amazing. Yeah, Tom, thank you so much for coming
in to see us today. My pleasure, Tom Felton, of course,
Storring astorycor Malfoy, Harry Potter in The.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Potter than so much, Tom, enjoy New York. It's a
pleasure to be here the way you found it. I
do my best.
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