Tom Felton

in conversation with Noah Griffin

Celebrating the release of

Beyond the Wand

Live, in person, at Angelico Concert Hall,
Dominican University of California

Sunday, October 23, 2022

“A surprisingly deep memoir from the actor who brought a memorable villain to the big screen.” Kirkus Reviews

“Known to millions as the big screen embodiment of Harry Potter’s wizarding nemesis Draco Malfoy, Tom Felton delivers a fascinating, wittily written account of his role in of one of the world’s most successful film franchises.” Waterstones

From the magical moments on set as Draco Malfoy to the challenges of growing up in the spotlight, get a backstage pass into Tom Felton’s life on and off the big screen. 

Tom Felton’s adolescence was anything but ordinary. His early rise to fame in beloved films like The Borrowers catapulted him into the limelight, but nothing could prepare him for what was to come after he landed the iconic role of the Draco Malfoy, the bleached blonde villain of the Harry Potter movies. For the next ten years, he was at the center of a huge pop culture phenomenon and yet, in between filming, he would go back to being a normal teenager trying to fit into a normal school.

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 muggle 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). He reflects on his experiences working with cinematic greats such as Alan Rickman, Sir Michael Gambon, Dame Maggie Smith, and Ralph Fiennes (including that awkward Voldemort hug). And, perhaps most poignantly, he discusses the lasting relationships he made over that decade of filming, including with Emma Watson, who started out as a pesky nine-year-old whom he mocked for not knowing what a boom mic was but who soon grew into one of his dearest friends. Then, of course, there are the highs and lows of fame and navigating life after such a momentous and life-changing experience.

Tom Felton’s Beyond the Wand is an entertaining, funny, and poignant must-read for any Harry Potter fan. Prepare to meet a real-life wizard.

About Tom

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.

About Noah

Harvard-trained lawyer and media personality, Noah Griffin, is a Bay Area native. He has hosted talk radio shows on KGO, KFRC and K-101, and written op-ed pieces for the San Francisco Examiner, the Boston Globe and the Marin Independent Journal. He has sung with the San Francisco Boys Chorus, the Philadelphia Philharmonic and Duke Ellington’s band, and wrote and recorded the official ballad of the Golden Gate bridge. He is also the founder of The Cole Porter Society, a group dedicated to ensuring that the musical and the cultural heritage of Porter is passed on to future generations. In addition to his work in media and music, Griffin had a long career in public affairs, serving in an administrative capacity to former San Francisco Mayor Frank Jordan and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein.

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Presented By

Dominican University of California Institute for Leardership Studies

Book Passage

Sponsor

Dominican University of California Women, Leadership and Philanthropy

Domenican University of California

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