Beyond The Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard by Tom Felton
(Format used for this read: Audiobook)
Tom Felton’s adolescence was anything but ordinary. His early rise to fame in beloved films like The Borrowers catapulted him into the limelight, but nothing could prepare him for what was to come after he landed the iconic role of the Draco Malfoy, the bleached blonde villain of the Harry Potter movies. For the next ten years, he was at the center of a huge pop culture phenomenon and yet, in between filming, he would go back to being a normal teenager trying to fit into a normal school.
Speaking with great candor and his signature humor, Tom shares his experience growing up as part of the wizarding world while also trying to navigate the muggle world. He tells stories from his early days in the business like his first acting gig where he was mistaken for fellow blonde child actor Macaulay Culkin and his Harry Potter audition where, in a very Draco-like move, he fudged how well he knew the books the series was based on (not at all). He reflects on his experiences working with cinematic greats such as Alan Rickman, Sir Michael Gambon, Dame Maggie Smith, and Ralph Fiennes (including that awkward Voldemort hug). And, perhaps most poignantly, he discusses the lasting relationships he made over that decade of filming, including with Emma Watson, who started out as a pesky nine-year-old whom he mocked for not knowing what a boom mic was but who soon grew into one of his dearest friends. Then, of course, there are the highs and lows of fame and navigating life after such a momentous and life-changing experience.
Tom Felton’s Beyond the Wand is an entertaining, funny, and poignant must-read for any Harry Potter fan. Prepare to meet a real-life wizard.
I am a GINORMOUS Harry Potter fan, yall.
I have read the books AND seen the movies more times than I can count, as have my both my kids.
I am a self proclaimed Hufflepuff tried and true who gave birth to two Ravenclaws…so who could have guessed that I would end up loving Draco–a Slytherin–as much as I did at the conclusion of this book?
(although…I shouldn’t be too surprised considering I have been married to one for the past 18 years lol)
Obviously Tom Felton just PLAYED the character of Draco, so I guess REALLY I’m a Tom fan, not a Draco fan…but STILL.
I just plain adored listening to his story…Tom is a FABULOUS narrator and brings so much LIFE to this listen.
Tom Felton in real life is almost the complete opposite of his well known Draco character, which just solidifies his tremendous acting abilities (especially at the young age he was when filming)
He has none of the meanness or evil tendencies of Draco…although he DOES confess plenty of leanings into “cheekiness”, troublemaking and just the regular adolescent/teenage dumb assery *most* kids go thru at some point.
Tom is humble, charming and big hearted (he admits in the book that he SOBS after the filming of EVERY project he has ever done)…he is from a loving, supportive imperfect family, where he is the youngest of 4 boys (I can not even IMAGINNNEEE the patience his mother must possess!)
I loved hearing all about his life but of course what I loved most was hearing all the ins and outs of the casting and filming of all the Harry Potter movies…I ate that shit up like a big ol’ piece of chocolate cake, yall.
I always enjoy hearing about actor’s behind the scenes stuff because the actor life will always be an unfulfilled dream of mine…I like to live vicariously thru them LOL.
And I love Hollywood/celebrity “tell alls”….bring me ALLLL that star studded gossip and drama, yall.
But this wasn’t the book for a “down and dirty” type of expose’ on his costars.
He had very positive, honest and lovely things to say about all his Potter peers, even the ones he wasn’t that close to…it was incredibly sweet to hear.
This was SUCH an entertaining AND endearing read.
But it wasn’t all laughs and positive vibes….
Tom speaks very candidly and openly about misbehaviors and bad decisions he made along the way, including his own struggles with mental health issues and substance addiction.
He says in the book he wanted to share about these very personal things to help end the stigma, and I respect and value that VERY much due to my and my family members own internal battles.
You HAVE to read this book if you’re a Potter fan, no matter WHAT house you belong to.
I promise you will never look at the bleached blonde snarling face the same ever again.💞