Harry Potter star Tom Felton admits he and other cast members were a little jealous of Daniel Radcliffe’s close bond with co-star Gary Oldman. Director Chris Columbus first brought JK Rowling’s Wizarding World to life on the big screen in 2001. Building on the popularity and success of the first four novels, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone managed to intensify interest in the characters and helped cement the franchise’s future, as well as the careers of its young, up and coming performers.
Felton was just thirteen years old when he was cast Harry Potter. Felton portrayed Draco Malfoy, Harry’s classmate and nemesis, in all eight Harry Potter movies. Draco’s jealousy of Harry, coupled with the negative outcome of their first interaction, led to a history of conflict between the duo. This breakthrough role allowed Felton to star alongside the likes of Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith and Jason Isaacs. Their interactions while filming on set gave Felton and the other young… Harry Potter cast members the unique opportunity to be mentored by some of the film industry’s biggest names.
Draco’s jealousy of Harry may be well known to the public, but Felton also struggled with similar emotions towards off-screen Radcliffe, at least to some degree. Felton mentions these feelings in his memoir, entitled Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Chaos of Growing Up as a Wizard. According to Insider, Felton’s book reveals that he and other castmates harbored some bitterness toward Radcliffe because of his close relationship with Sirius Black actor Oldman. Read Felton’s excerpt below to see why he believed Radcliffe’s relationship with Oldman gave him an advantage:
“Just as Sirius became a father figure to Harry, I felt like Gary became something of an inspiration to Daniel, helping him navigate the tricky path of growing up in the spotlight and honing his acting skills… They seemed to me to be a very similar sense of humor and approach to sharing with the other cast and crew I think some of us – myself included – were a little jealous of that band… We could see that, in part thanks to Gary’s influence, the really started to learn the trade better than all of us. Who better to have by your side in that respect than Gary Oldman?”
Why Radcliffe & Oldman’s Bond Was So Significant?
Oldman, also known for portraying Commissioner Gordon in The Dark Knight trilogy, made its Wizarding World debut in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, where he portrayed Harry’s estranged godfather, Sirius Black. Oldman quickly became a regular face in the franchise and reprized his role in three more Harry Potter movies. Aided by Radcliffe’s admiration and a fair amount of shared screen time, the two formed a close bond that allowed Oldman to pass on some of his theatrical knowledge. This also translated into a special closeness on the screen; Sirius is one of Harry’s most beloved parental figures, and the actors’ bond has enriched the fictional relationship.
Over the years, Oldman shared numerous tips with the young star, ranging from dating advice to acting tips. Understandably, Oldman’s absence after his character’s death in… Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix influenced Radcliffe on a personal level. Radcliffe has admitted that he was a little nervous about not knowing if he would ever work with his mentor again. Fortunately, the duo was reunited in the final Harry Potter movie and again in this year’s HBO Max reunion special. Whether on or off screen, it’s clear that Radcliffe and Oldman have a special bond that goes beyond the usual Harry Potter magic.
Source: Insider
