Fan Fest News

News for Fans, By Fans!

‘Harry Potter’s Tom Felton Discusses the Power of Fandom

Harry Potter‘s Tom Felton Discusses the Power of Fandom

During LeakyCon Dallas 2019, Tom Felton took the stage to talk all things Harry Potter and the fandom the franchise created. Since his Potter days, Felton has worked on numerous projects including Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Flash, and Origin. But it was his 2015 documentary Tom Felton Meets the Superfans that really got the actor talking.

When Felton first started attending conventions at a young age, he was a bit overwhelmed. He described the weird sensation of seeing so many people, mostly girls, dressed as him/Draco Malfoy. “It’s hard to wrap your head around it when you’re 11 and 12,” said Felton. “People shouting your name. It wasn’t something any of us thought was going to happen. [Harry Potter] wasn’t that big when we started.” As he grew more comfortable at conventions, he realized that they were some of the best places to be.

As a result, Felton decided to film a documentary to showcase the feeling of being at a convention, to try and explain fandom. The documentary also strove to find the difference between a fan and a fanatic. With the help of some familiar Harry Potter faces, he made it a reality.

“[Superfans] gave the opportunity to highlight the positivity and the beauty of being passionate about something. There’s no separation between that and sports fans, movie fans, music fans. To have something you’re passionate about, when you unite and come together, it’s a bloody good feeling, isn’t it? It’s nice to have that.”

Felton also applauded J.K. Rowling for her ability to weave a story that has elicited this reaction. She single-handedly got an entire generation reading, which in turn led to people writing and creating art.

'Harry Potter's Tom Felton Discusses the Power of Fandom
Tom Felton Meets the Superfans

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *