Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard

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There is something uniquely nostalgic about listening to your first movie crush talk about his time as a child on the set of your favorite childhood fictional world. (If you’re planning on reading this, get the audiobook!!)

Speaking with candour and his own trademark humour, Tom shares his experience of growing up on screen and as part of the wizarding world for the very first time. He tells all about his big break, what filming was really like and the lasting friendships he made during ten years with the franchise, as well as the highs and lows of fame and the reality of navigating adult life after filming finished. In conversation for this unique live event, Tom will reflect on his early rise to fame – a career that began with the Borrowers and a childhood that was anything but ordinary. Catapulted into the limelight aged just twelve, Tom will speak with candour and his trademark humour about growing up on screen, what filming was really like, and the lasting friendships he made during ten years with the franchise. He’ll share hilarious behind the scenes anecdotes, never-before-heard stories about your favourite cast members, as well as discussing the highs and lows of fame and the reality of navigating adult life after filming finished. Beyond the Wand]is full of colorful Wizarding World lingo, referring to “aparrating” objects and his “muggle family,” making it fun for die-hard “Harry Potter” fans. . .It’s basically a wizarding world gold mine."— Deseret News From the PublisherAs she searches for the truth about her husband's death, a TV reporter must control her anger — and attraction — toward the man who smeared his reputation.

The memoir will cover his experiences playing the role of Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter, including dealing with being thrust into the spotlight at a young age and creating lasting relationships with fellow cast members. The synopsis says, “Speaking with great candor and his signature humor, Tom shares his experience growing up as part of the wizarding world while also trying to navigate the [M]uggle world. He tells stories from his early days in the business like his first acting gig where he was mistaken for fellow blonde child actor Macaulay Culkin and his Harry Potter audition where, in a very Draco-like move, he fudged how well he knew the books the series was based on (not at all).” Two years ago, a designer's passionate tryst with a handsome stranger ended in regret and longing — and now, she must face him again while remodeling a storied Southern plantation.

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it's funny how ultimate lessons are always similar, we grow up knowing them, and yet we look and search and try to conquer the world, until we go full circle to love and friendship and family. I guess we have to go full circle, to understand that the circle is there, and to appreciate the end point within the perspective of the journey. FP: Toward the end of the book, you so eloquently open up about your struggles while living in Los Angeles, and your time in rehab, which is a very vulnerable topic. Was it a cathartic process for you to write about? Or challenging in any way? Editor's Note: BuzzFeed does not support discriminatory or hateful speech in any form. We stand by the LGBTQ+ community and all fans who found a home in the Harry Potter series and will work to provide a safe space for fans. If you, like us, feel impassioned about trans rights, learn more or donate here. Missing Hogwarts? Tom Felton, who played white-haired villain Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise, bas written about the magical moments on set and an adolescence within the pop culture phenomenon."— Parade

I had so much fun reading all of Tom’s anecdotes and fun stories about the Harry Potter set. I loved the way he wrote about his family, his upbringing, his struggles, and his friends. Tom’s chapters on his mental health struggles hit hard, but it gave great insight into his life and it showed how being in the spotlight from a young age can really impact celebrities. Tom also did a great job of normalizing therapy, mental health treatment, and rehab. These treatment methods are often viewed with a great deal of shame, especially by men, but Tom did a great job at talking about the benefits of those treatments and how those treatments personally improved his life. It was moving for me to be reading Tom’s stories with mental illness as I’m currently in a bit of a depressive episode. Our situations aren’t exactly the same, but knowing that someone I look up to has struggled with mental illness helps me feel less alone in my struggles. Tom Felton is an English actor, best known for playing Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films. He has also appeared in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Belle, The Flash, A United Kingdom, The Forgotten Battle and 2.22 A Ghost Story in London's West End. He lives in London with his dog Willow.

TF: The improvisation of the line "I didn't know you could read" was a very on the day thing. The Voldemort hug — I don't think Ralph [Fiennes] even knew that he was about to hug me. That's why it was so creepy. When his arms are open and, bear in mind, we shot that scene at least 50 times already. I'd already walked past him at least 50 times. And then, that time, when his arms are open, I thought, "There's no bloody way he's trying to hug me. Oh God, he is!" So, that's why I think it was so creepy and so evil [for him to] present a physical sort of affection. I mean, not as much improvising. I know the books were all so rich with characters and content that I'm sure loads of fans out there, like myself, would have wanted. But the truth is the films would have been seven hours long if we put in absolutely everything. So, I think they did a fantastic job fitting in as much as they possibly could.

My first five star read of 2023 and easily one of the best non-fiction books I’ve ever read. Tom has a fun personality and sense of humor that shines through in all his stories. Reading this book was like watching one of his panels at a comic con and it made the experience really enjoyable. If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Tom and seeing him speak, you’ll know how well he translated his personality into his writing. It is truly phenomenal.

Games

FP: In the book you talk about how, upon landing the role as Draco, you were very blasé about receiving the news. You write that you were playing football with a friend, unsure of how this will change your life. So, I was curious if you did have any friends at the time, who were impressed knowing you'd be in the films, or if any friends or family had read the books, and were like, "Wow, you got this role!"?