When Alan Rickman unleashed his inner Snape on Tom Felton
Tom Felton, the actor behind Harry Potter’s Hogwarts nemesis Draco Malfoy, has revealed why Alan Rickman, the late actor who portrayed Professor Snape across the franchise, was “scary”.
During a live rewatch of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with fans on TikTok back in 2021, Felton revealed that working with Rickman was “Scary. He was the only actor I knew, and [he was] terrifying in the most pleasant way.” Felton hastened to add that he was also “very, very kind” and had a “wicked sense of humour”.
In a new video posted on Instagram to promote his upcoming memoir, Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard, Felton remembered Rickman channelling the stony Severus Snape after he accidentally stepped on Rickman’s long black cloak on set.
“Eventually, I was told in no uncertain terms by Alan Rickman: ‘Don’t step on my fucking cloak’,” Felton said. “[I] sort of giggled. Death Eaters and I looked at each other and thought, ‘Is he joking?’ It quickly became apparent: he’s totally not joking.”
“The next take, the director was very keen for me to walk as close as I can to Alan,” Felton continued. “We got about halfway through the Great Hall before [mimes stepping on Rickman’s cloak]. You have to bear in mind his cloak’s attached around his neck – I nearly killed the poor man! He turned around and gave me a look you never, ever want to see.”
The then-teenage actor did the take once again, but this time “someone else” stepped on Rickman’s cloak. “That kind of took the heat away from me,” Felton said. “But I’ll never forget those words: ‘Don’t step on my fucking cloak’.”
Tom Felton’s memoir, Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard, releases October 13th. The book takes a look back through the rollercoaster ride of the seismic Harry Potter universe through the eyes of a teenager in the thick of it.
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.