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Name: Beyond the Wand
Rating: 4.3 (144 reviews)
Author: Tom Felton

Tom Felton

The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard

4.3 (144 ratings)

16 mins

Brief summary

'Beyond the Wand' by Tom Felton is a memoir that takes us behind the scenes of Harry Potter, exploring his journey from a child actor to a young adult. With candid anecdotes and insights, Felton offers a unique perspective on growing up in the spotlight.

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Memoirs Lifestyle & Pop Culture

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Beyond the Wand
Summary of 7 key ideas

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What’s in it for me? A fascinating glimpse into the highs and lows of life as a young actor.

What was a typical day like for you as a kid? Going to school? Spending time with family and friends? For actor Tom Felton, things were a bit more complicated.

Tom grew up straddling the line between two completely different worlds. In one, he was a normal teenager trying to navigate school and personal relationships. In the other, he was taking on an iconic role in one of the biggest film franchises in the world.

In this Blink to Beyond the Wand, you’ll get a behind the scenes look at Tom Felton’s unique experiences on and off screen. We’ll start by taking a look at his early family life and how he scored the role of Draco Malfoy. Next, we’ll talk about his days on the Harry Potter set and the important friendships he formed there.

Finally, we’ll learn about Tom’s mental health struggles after finishing the series and the critical life lessons that made him the person he is today.

An Ordinary Muggle Family

Tom Felton’s on-screen character Draco Malfoy was an only child raised in a cold and lonely wizarding household. In real life, Tom’s “Muggle” family was the complete opposite. Tom grew up in a tight-knit, loving, and occasionally chaotic home with his parents and three older brothers.

Tom’s mother worked multiple jobs to give her sons anything they wanted and showed unending support for any hobby they took on – even if it was short-lived.

Tom’s father was a bit more economical. While he would often scoff at the idea of buying the kids brand new things for each new interest, he went to great lengths to build them whatever they needed – whether it was a new hockey net or a skateboard ramp.

Tom credits his oldest brother Jonathan – nicknamed Jink – with introducing him to the arts. Jink was interested in all types of music and performed in musicals as a kid. Watching his brother on stage inspired Tom to develop his love of performing.

Tom’s middle brother Chris often acted as his chaperone while on set. Tom believes that Chris’ matter-of-fact personality was what helped him to stay grounded during his teenage years.

With his third brother, Ash, Tom shared a similar sense of humor and a love of sports. Unfortunately, Ash was often hospitalized due to struggles with mental health – which would affect all four Felton brothers at different times in their lives.

While each person impacted his development in different ways, Tom’s family collectively gave him the chance to experience a normal childhood. The opportunity to feel normal is important for any young actor, but it would prove invaluable to Tom as he took part in one of the most popular film franchises of all time.

Becoming Draco

As strange as it sounds, not preparing for his audition may have been what landed Tom Felton the iconic role of Draco Malfoy. While most kids were already huge fans of the material, twelve-year-old Tom showed up to the Harry Potter auditions without having read a single one of the books.

The first step of the audition process was to have the kids line up along a wall and tell the director what they were most excited to see on screen. As each actor answered the question, Tom began to realize that he had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.

Wizarding Friendships and Working With Legends

Over the next ten years, Tom would have the opportunity to work with hundreds of actors and form some of the most important and lasting friendships of his life.

While they mostly kept their distance in the beginning, Tom’s friendship with Daniel Radcliffe developed significantly during the later films. They played bitter enemies on screen, but Tom has a lot of love for Daniel and a deep respect for the way he conducted himself under such immense pressure.

A Balancing Act

A typical day of filming the Harry Potter movies would begin at 6 a.m. sharp, when Tom would stumble into a waiting car and sleep through the hour and a half drive to Leavesden studios.

After getting his scripts for the day and dressing in his Hogwarts robes, he would spend an hour in hair and make-up and then head off to set.

Lost in Los Angeles

Tom’s first project after finishing the last Potter film was a lead role in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which was offered to him with no audition required.

Since his experience with this film had been so rosy, Tom assumed that everything would continue to be easy. Unfortunately, this was not the case. After moving to Los Angeles, he found himself going on hundreds of auditions – many of which could only be described as cringeworthy.

Three Acts of Kindness

Almost immediately after arriving at rehab, Tom knew that he was in the wrong place. Although he admits that he did have a drinking problem, most of the other patients at this facility had severe substance abuse issues and required intense psychiatric treatment.

Just twenty-four hours after checking in – while on a walk across the grounds – Tom found himself staging an accidental “escape.”

The Important Things in Life

Tom’s journey to sobriety would bring him to two more rehab facilities over the next few years. Although he was initially against the idea, he now realizes that his stints in rehab helped him to break through the social stigma surrounding mental health treatment.

Today, Tom lives a much simpler life in London with his dog, Willow. He wakes up each morning full of gratitude and takes things one step at a time. He still has his bad days, but he sincerely hopes that his experiences will help others who may be in the same situation.

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What is Beyond the Wand about?

Beyond the Wand (2022) offers a backstage pass into the life of Tom Felton, an actor best known for his iconic role as Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films. As he recalls the magic of movie-making and struggles of growing up in the spotlight, Felton takes fans on a journey through his life and career so far and the valuable lessons he’s learned along the way.

Who should read Beyond the Wand?

Harry Potter fans
People who enjoy behind-the-scenes stories
Fans of celebrity autobiographies

About the Author

Tom Felton is an actor best known for his role as Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter film series. His other notable projects include The Borrowers (1997), Anna and the King (1999), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), and Ophelia (2018).

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