Thomas Andrew Felton was born on 22 September 1987[3] in Epsom, Surrey,[4] the youngest of four sons born to Peter Felton and Sharon Anstey.[5] Felton was raised an Anglican.[6] His parents divorced when he was a teenager.[7] His maternal grandfather is geophysicist Nigel Anstey.[8] Felton was educated West Horsley's Cranmore School until age 13, after which time he attended the Howard of Effingham School for his secondary education. Felton developed an interest in singing during his childhood and subsequently joined school choirs; he was offered a place in the Guildford Cathedral Choir.[9][10]
He reprised his role the following year in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), which saw Felton winning a Disney Channel's Kids Award.[21] Felton started his Official Tom Felton Fan Club in 2004 and took part in autograph signing events.[22][23] His fan club was reported to have attracted so many fans that Felton had to put a temporary stop to people signing up.[24] When the fan asked Felton what kids should do if someone like his character is bullying them, he said: "Tell someone. You do not want to keep it to yourself."[16]
Felton appeared in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) and Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire, both released to increasing global recognition.[25] Felton made a guest appearance on Home Farm Twins in 2005, where he played Adam Baker in the short-lived series.[26] On 11 November 2005, he and Rupert Grint presented Liz Carnell with the Daily Mirror's Pride of Britain Award for her work in bullying awareness.[27][28]Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was filmed in 2006 and released in 2007, becoming the second-highest grossing film of the year.[29] When asked whether he was looking forward to playing a good guy in the future he answered: "No. Well, I don't know. I suppose for now I'm happy with sticking to what he is. But after the Potter legacy is over I look forward to playing a good guy, or someone different anyway; someone not so spiteful."[30]
On 12 November 2008, Felton appeared alongside Jack Osbourne on Adrenaline Junkie as he participated in various challenges in South Africa, including a 200 ft bungee jump on Bloukrans Bridge, took a ride in a helicopter, followed by a parachute freefall and came face-to-face with great white sharks. Felton portrayed Simon in the 2009 horror/thriller movie The Disappeared.[33]Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was released in July of that year as a major commercial success; The Hollywood Reporter described Felton's role as "perennially glowering" while the plot of the film "weighs on him, causing his smug veneer to all but melt away."[34]
In 2010, Felton released his original song "Hawaii" on Six String Productions[35] – an independent record label run by Felton, David Proffitt and Philip Haydn-Slater promoting creative independence and ownership of material.[citation needed] Felton portrayed the main character, Ray Marsden, in White Other (2010). was released. His character is a troubled youth in the "ends" of England and stars alongside Harry Potter co-star Imelda Staunton.[36] Felton had a cameo role in Get Him to the Greek (2010) in June.[37] He portrayed the character Dodge Landon in the 2011 science-fiction film Rise of the Planet of the Apes,[38] and played a paranormal investigator in the thriller film The Apparition (2012).[39] Felton reprised his role as Malfoy for the final time in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. His performances in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 won him two consecutive MTV Movie Awards for Best Villain in 2010 and 2011.[40][41]Screen Rant stated that Felton "brought the complex, layered" character to the films, calling Malfoy the series' "true cult hero".[42]
While filming the Harry Potter series, Felton and fellow actress Emma Watson (who played Hermione Granger in the films) both confessed to having crushes on each other during filming, albeit at different times. In the foreword to Felton's memoir, Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard, Watson called herself and Felton "soulmates".[43]
2012–2021: Post-Harry Potter projects
Felton posted three music videos on YouTube under the account "Feltbeats", in which he performs fragments of original songs. Nine songs have been re-recorded and are now available on iTunes: "Time Well Spent", "Time Isn't Healing", "One of These Days", "Under Stars", "Right Place, Right Time", "In My Arms", "All I Need", and "I Will Be There" join the instrumental "Silhouettes in Sunsets". He also recorded an album titled In Good Hands. It includes the six songs "If You Could Be Anywhere", "We Belong", "When Angels Come", "Convinced", "Father of Mine", and "If That's Alright with You".[44]
In June 2020, he was planned to star in war thriller Burial, which is set in the last days of World War II.[68] In October, it was announced that Felton will star in Canyon Del Muerto, a biopic about archaeologist Ann Axtell Morris. He portrays her husband, Earl H. Morris, an American archeologist known for his contributions to Southwest archaeology.[69] Two months later, Felton was confirmed in Lead Heads alongside Rupert Everett, Derek Jacobi, Luke Newberry and Mark Williams. The film is described as a “drama about greed and the repercussions it has on the soul.”[70]
In January 2021, Felton was confirmed for the lead role in Sara Sugarman's Save The Cinema which began filming in the month in Wales.[71] He joined Jonathan Pryce and Samantha Morton. The movie tells the true story of Liz Evans, a hairdresser and leader of a youth theatre in Carmarthen, Wales, who began a campaign in 1993 to save the Lyric theatre from closure.[72]
2022: West End theatre debut, Beyond the Wand, and further acting career
In October 2022, Felton published a memoir, Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard, which covers his acting career within the Harry Potter franchise.[77] The book debuted at number one on The New York Times nonfiction best-seller list for the week ending 22 October 2022.[78] Watson wrote the foreword, referring to herself and Felton as "soulmates."[79]
Felton is set to appear as Josiah Oldfield in the upcoming Indian television series Gandhi, directed by Hansal Mehta.
Personal life
Felton was in a relationship with stunt assistant Jade Olivia Gordon from April 2008 until early 2016. Gordon played Felton's character's wife, Astoria Greengrass, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.[82] Despite speculation from fans, he and Emma Watson, his childhood crush, have never dated.[83] As of 2021, Felton has been in a relationship with South African jewelry designer, Roxanne Danya Plit, whom he met while filming Origin in 2018. He was first publicly seen with Plit in October 2021.[84]
Felton owned a Labrador Retriever named Timber until she died of cancer in 2014.[85][86] He adopted another black Labrador Retriever named Willow in 2018.[85] For Halloween in 2021, Felton dressed up as Gryffindor student Harry Potter, and dressed up Willow as a Gryffindor, too.[87] Along with Willow, Felton owns a yellow lab named Forrest, purchased in 2022.[88]
Felton fell ill while participating in a celebrity golf exhibition on 23 September 2021 as part of the 2021 Ryder Cup festivities near Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He was removed from the golf course on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.[89][90] Felton told CinemaBlend that the illness was caused by jet lag and exhaustion.[91]
^"Warner Bros. Official site". (Flash: click appropriate actor's image, click "Actor Bio"). harrypotter.warnerbros.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 April 2006. Retrieved 5 August 2007.