Tom Felton makes powerful Broadway debut as Draco Malfoy in 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' amid thunderous cheers

Highlights:

• First original film actor to appear in the stage play
• Fans cheered for nearly 30 seconds before he spoke his first line
• Felton will stay with the production until March 2026
• Follows the story 19 years after the original films

Tom Felton was met with loud cheers as he stepped on stage this week in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Best known for his role as Draco Malfoy, the British actor remained silent as the audience exploded in cheers and applause at the Lyric Theatre in New York. In fact, it went on long enough for the show to pause and when it finally settled, he said his first line: “I need a favour.”

Tom Felton takes the stage as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway Instagram/cursedchildus

Felton’s first night as Draco on Broadway

Footage from the official Cursed Child account showed the moment fans spotted him. The clip was captioned with a familiar Harry Potter line: “It’s true then, what they’re saying on the train.” Felton smiled slightly before continuing the scene.

Tom Felton is now part of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in New York. It’s the first time one of the film cast has joined the stage play. The story picks up 19 years after the movies, with the next generation at Hogwarts. It follows Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco as their children begin their own time at Hogwarts.

What Tom Felton said about the role

Felton said returning to the world of Harry Potter was emotional. “It’s very easy to get emotional,” he said in a statement. “When they put my blond wig on, I cried. It felt like a blast from the past.”

He added that playing an older Draco is new territory. “I knew him as a kid. I don’t know him as an adult. That’s what makes it interesting.” Felton will appear in the role until 22 March 2026. His casting was first announced earlier this year.

The play’s global run

The play started in London in 2016. It came to Broadway in 2018. Since then, it has run in Melbourne, Hamburg, Toronto and Tokyo. The production has drawn steady audiences worldwide and remains one of the most successful stage shows tied to a major film franchise.

Felton’s work beyond Harry Potter

Since the end of the film series, Felton has built a varied career. He made his West End debut in 2:22 A Ghost Story in 2022, later starring in A Child of Science at Bristol Old Vic. His television credits include The Flash, Murder in the First and Labyrinth. He has also appeared in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Belle and Netflix’s The Forgotten Battle.