"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways." Harry Potter fans will recognize this bullish, bigoted speech from the film series' antagonist, Draco Malfoy. The character was played by English actor Tom Felton.
Felton was only 12 years old when he was first cast in the role back in 1999. He would go on to feature in every single film in the series. The final instalment was titled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, and was released in 2011, a few months before his 24th birthday.
Since then, hardcore fans of the franchise have been keen to keep up with the lives of the cast members. For Felton, this has meant some unwarranted attention towards his looks and age.
Remains In The Public Arena
Since he last portrayed Draco, Felton has enjoyed a more than decent career as an actor on both film and TV. Between 2016 and 2017, he played Julian Albert (Dr. Alchemy) in the third season of The CW's The Flash. He also portrayed a character called Logan Maine in the YouTube Premium sci-fi series, Origin in 2018. The show was canceled after one season.
His busy schedule means that he remains very much in the public arena. As such, his life is constantly providing fodder for dissecting on social media and other fan outlets. Most recently, people have been talking about how despite still being only in his 30s, he looks to be much older.
A post that appeared on Reddit a few years ago depicted a screengrab from a video of the actor doing a segment for Buzzfeed's YouTube channel. It was accompanied by a caption that highly exaggerated Felton's apparent age. 'Is it me or does Tom Felton look like he's 80 in this picture? What has he been smoking?,' the user posed.
There were mixed responses, with some jumping to Felton's defense. One such user commented, 'You must not know any 80-year-old people,' while another simply said, 'It’s just you.'
Isn't In The Best Shape
The majority of those who responded, however, appeared to concur with the post - albeit to different degrees. A fan by the username 'MythDestructor' offered a possible explanation, saying, 'It's the hair loss that gives that impression.' A second opinion backing them up read, 'But also the wrinkles on his forehead. I mean, it happens to everyone that the stretch sign is left, just happened to be in that photo of him.'
As is always the case on social media, there was bound to be a borderline-hateful post, most likely coming from someone who was not Draco's biggest fan in the movies. 'Tom Felton was ugly in Harry Potter, and he is still ugly now,' the distasteful post was titled. This user then went on to detail all the features that made Felton unattractive in their eyes.
A more compassionate fan argued the case for Draco, but agreed with the assertion that Felton isn't in the best shape right now. 'I think he was hot as Draco. Kinda goin for that Morticia aesthetic,' the post read. 'Now? Not so much. He doesn't look good unless he's primed and proper for red carpets. He needs makeup, lighting, a fitted outfit, and good angles to look good.'
Fueled His Insecurity
Felton is not unaware of this constant derision from fans, something which has perhaps fueled a bit of insecurity on his part. In November 2019, he posted a photo of himself at 32, standing next to a portrait of Draco in one of the early movies. Alongside the picture went the caption, 'Aging's a b***ch.'
The post prompted a barrage of comments from fans; some with endless laughter and tears emojis at the self-deprecating humor from Felton, and others simply expressing their love for him and for Draco.
One particular comment that stood out was from his fellow Englishman and colleague in the franchise, Matthew Lewis. About two years Felton's junior, Lewis played a character called Neville Longbottom, who attended the same Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as Draco and Potter.
Lewis' character always found himself on the wrong end of Draco's bullying, but this time, it was Lewis himself dishing it out. In a curt response to Felton's self-pitying post, the Leeds-born actor posted, 'Speak for yourself lad!'
All the same, the widespread negativity about Felton's looks has not dampened his special affiliation to the J.K. Rowling-created universe. He recently shared a photo of himself on Instagram, dressed up as Harry Potter alongside his dog for Halloween.