Tom Felton: Playing ‘Evil’ Draco Character Didn’t Help Him With Girls
Tom Felton has revealed that his “evil” Harry Potter character affected his dating life at school. The 34-year-old actor, who played the role of house Slytherin’s Draco Lucius Malfoy, said…
Tom Felton attends the “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” world premiere at The Royal Festival Hall on March 29, 2022 in London, England.
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Warner Bros.Tom Felton has revealed that his “evil” Harry Potter character affected his dating life at school. The 34-year-old actor, who played the role of house Slytherin’s Draco Lucius Malfoy, said his character did him “no favors” with girls at school.
“Some people really struggle with the idea that I wasn’t this special, popular kid,” Felton told The Guardian in a new interview over the weekend. “But I was walking around with dyed hair and played an evil wizard. It wasn’t cool. It did me no favors with the girls.”
Felton, 34, who made his debut last week in Danny Robins' thriller play, 2:22 A Ghost Story in London, starred in all eight Harry Potter movies, based on novels written by JK Rowling. Elsewhere in the interview, Felton credits his casting of Malfoy due to him being "nonchalant," Felton said, adding, “and [I] had no idea what anyone was on about. Wizards in cupboards under the stairs? And with three older brothers, you learn to be confident quickly. I think Chris Columbus, the director, recognized this slight disinterest and arrogance in me, which he thought could work for Malfoy.”
Earlier this year, during the Harry Potter reunion special Return to Hogwarts, Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, spoke about the moment she first “fell in love” with her co-star Felton. “I walked into the room where we were having tutoring,” she recalled. “The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought god looked like and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. And I just don’t know how to say it – I just fell in love with him.”
Watson clarified that nothing “ever, ever, ever happened romantically” but that the pair “just love each other." In the special, Felton said that he was aware of Watson’s feelings for him. “I think I was in the hair and make-up chair and someone said something along the lines of, ‘Yeah, she had a crush on you,'” he said, adding, “I became very protective over her. Yeah, I’ve always had a soft spot for her and that continues to the day.”
Side hustles are something celebs have in common with all of us, earning some extra money on the side by creating personalized video messages for fans on Cameo, a site that allows fans to commission celebrities to record a message for themselves, their colleagues and loved ones for any special occasion.
By analyzing the 20 most reviewed celebs per Cameo category (actors, athletes, creators, comedians, musicians, and reality TV celebs), Casumo ranked the top 20 most profitable celebrities based on the percentage increase of their rates compared to a year ago. See below how much it costs to commission your favorite celebrity:
Aaron Watson
Danielle Del Valle/Getty ImagesIf country music’s your bag, you might want to request a Cameo from Texan country crooner Aaron Watson. The musician has seen success with his videos, upping the price of a personalized message by 42% from $65.81 last year to $93.71 today.
Ice-T
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for MTVLegendary American rapper, actor, and producer Ice-T is another popular musician you can request a video from on Cameo. Whether you know him for his hip-hop career or his long-running acting stint on 'Law and Order,' you can get a personalized message from the star – but it’ll cost you 69% more than it did last year. Now, a video will set you back a cool $562.27, compared to $332.89 last year.
Cedric the Entertainer
Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of FameStand-up comedian and actor Cedric Kyles – best known as his stage name, Cedric the Entertainer – is another favorite on the Cameo platform. If you want to entertain your friends or family with a custom video this year, it’ll cost you $234.90 – +23% more than the $190.76 it was in 2021.
Anthony Anderson
Jon Kopaloff/Getty ImagesActor and comedian Anthony Anderson is best known for starring in the hit ABC sitcom Black-ish, amongst others. If you want a video from this American funny man, it’ll cost you $187.42 – a +31% increase from $143.08 last year.
Andrew Dice Clay
Neilson Barnard/Getty ImagesControversial comedian and actor Andrew Dice Clay has also upped his rates. Known for his brash, straight-talking manner, you can expect the same in his personalized messages to your friends and family. The "Diceman" will grant you a video for $436.07, a 53% increase from $285.19 in 2021.
Mario Cantone
Presley Ann/Getty Images for TCMIconic comedian and 'Sex and the City' star Mario Cantone (Anthony to 'SATC' fans) is another celeb making good money from Cameo. Coinciding with the release of SATC spin-off And Just Like That, Cantone has upped his rates this year and now charges $187.42 for a Cameo – a big increase of 96% compared to the $95.39 it would have cost you last year.
Pete Alonso
Sarah Stier/Getty ImagesIf you’re a baseball fan, you’ll know Pete Alonso (aka "The Polar Bear") as the first baseman for the New York Mets. Alonso upped his Cameo price to $284.88 this year, a 20% jump from $237.90 last year. This athlete is another charitable giver, putting some of the proceeds towards his charity Homers for Heroes, which raises money to thank local heroes in communities.
Tony Hawk
Jon Kopaloff/Getty ImagesSkateboarding legend Tony Hawk is another athlete enjoying the benefits of Cameo. If you grew up watching his skateboarding videos (or playing the iconic Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video games) and want a personalized message from the pro himself, it will now set you back $284.88, a 20% increase from $237.76 in 2021.
T.J. Lavin
Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Nightclub & Bar Media GroupFamous for his successful BMX career and for hosting the MTV reality competition show The Challenge, T.J. Lavin is also cashing in on Cameo. You can buy a video from the star for $211.16, which is a 48% increase from the $143.08 he charged in 2021.
Brett Favre
Hannah Foslien/Getty ImagesAnother NFL legend who’s recently upped their prices is Super Bowl Champion Quarterback Brett Favre. A video from the sports star will now cost you $379.84, a 60% increase from $237.90 in 2021!
Drew Brees
Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesNFL star Drew Brees has also upped his price by 66%, from $428.42 in 2021 to $712.21 this year. But this price increase is for good reason. Not only do you get a custom-made video from the New Orleans Saints Quarterback, but 100% of your money goes to the Brees Dream Foundation, which strives to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and provide care for children and families in need.
Brian Baumgartner
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SBIFFFans of 'The Office' will know beloved actor Brian Baumgartner as Kevin Malone from the hit sitcom. Baumgartner is another star capitalizing on the Cameo boom, now charging $212.41 for a personalized video. That’s a jump of 15% from $185.46 in 2021. But with a whopping 4037 reviews and a five-star rating, 'The Office' fans are evidently happy to pay!
Larry Thomas
Vince Bucci/Getty Images'Seinfeld' actor Larry Thomas - "The Soup Nazi" - has also upped his rates in the last year by 85%. A video from the Emmy Award-nominated actor will cost you $141.19 this year, compared to $76.31 in 2021! Thomas has clearly been putting in the time on Cameo, with 1900 reviews so far.
Tom Felton
Gareth Cattermole/Getty ImagesHarry Potter alumni Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy to Potterheads) now charges a whopping $568.52 for a video in 2022, which has increased 200% from $189.26 last year. According to his promotional video, the star offers shout-outs for birthdays and weddings and has a fan club run through the site. With a five-star rating from over 500 reviews, his fans clearly think it’s worth the cost.
Tay Zonday
Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesYouTube OG Tay Zonday is making the most of his instantly recognizable voice on the Cameo platform. The "Chocolate Rain" singer has 1074 reviews on the site, so there is clearly high demand for his personalized messages. This might be why the star has bumped his prices up by +208% in the last year, rising from $38.15 in 2021 to $117.45 today!
