Best known for playing Draco Malfoy in the wildly successful Harry Potter series, actor Tom Felton has written a tell-all memoir about his time on set, antics with the cast, and his own personal struggles with addiction. Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing up a Wizard is available now. It has been written with the support of many of the Harry Potter cast, and even features a foreword by Emma Watson.
We get brilliant insights into fellow actors such as Michael Gambon, who would keep cigarettes in his beard. Tom recalls how he would often sneak a crafty smoke with Dumbledore between takes. The book also sheds light on Felton’s close relationship with his brothers, who would take him out night fishing when he had shooting the next day.
But there is a serious side to Beyond the Wand. For many years, Felton struggled with the pressure of fame, turning to alcohol for comfort. This left him in a downward spiral, only ending after he went to rehab. He speaks with complete honesty and wants his story to empower other people in the grip of addiction to “know that they’re not alone.”
With more books on the way, as well as theatre and music projects, we certainly haven’t seen the last of Tom Felton.
Potter fans can pick up a copy of Beyond the Wand in hardcover today. A paperback version will be coming out in July 2023.