The Creepiest Part Of Harry Potter Was Improvised

Tom Felton revealed the creepy between Voldemort and Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter was completely improvised.

By James Brizuela | Published

Tom Felton, who many might remember as Draco Malfoy, has written a book about his experiences while filming the Harry Potter franchise. In his memoir, Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard, Felton recounts one of the creepiest moments from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Apparently, when Draco Malfoy had been welcomed back to the villain side of things, the hug he received from Ralph Fiennes’s Voldemort was completely improvised.

Tom Felton revealed that the Harry Potter scene was filmed around 30 or 40 times, with Felton and Fiennes operating alongside one another different each time, leaving him to state, “In the middle of one take, as I was pacing towards him for the umpteenth time, he lifted his arm just a fraction. It was the slightest movement, but enough to stop me in my tracks and think: is he trying to hug me?”

tom felton harry potter

Although the creepy scene showcased just how cold Voldemort is, there were plenty of people that thought it was just hilarious. We can admit that most socially awkward situations can be humorous, but U.S audiences especially found this moment to bridge the gap between being creepy and just downright hilarious. Felton does reveal when he saw that particular Harry Potter scene at the premiere in London, he had no idea the creepy hug was going to be used, but it also showed just how disconnected from love Voldemort is.

Tom Felton’s memoir reveals that American audiences found that moment to be hilarious, and while he certainly does not understand why, he loves the fact that audiences react to the moment differently. One of the biggest themes in the Harry Potter movies is love, as Harry Potter was able to withstand the power of Voldemort for the love given to him by his parents. We would argue that the creepy Voldemort hug is just as Felton describes it, which is that Voldemort is so devoid of love that he has no idea how to correctly display it.

Despite audiences laughing at the unintentionally hilarious moment, it remains one of the best moments from the entirety of the Harry Potter franchise. Voldemort may have thought himself to win at that given time, but he was wrong as the kids, especially Neville, fought back against the dark wizard’s plans. The resulting battle between the dark wizards and the students and teachers at Hogwarts is fantastic, and that was preceded by one of the creepiest hugs ever committed.

Sometimes improvised lines and movements can make for the best moments in any movie, and sometimes they take away from the movie by becoming unintentionally humorous. We would state that the creepy Voldemort hug in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is something that exists in both those categories, and it appears that Tom Felton accepts them both. For anyone who does not remember that moment, it might also be time to marathon the franchise, especially with Halloween fast approaching.

The entire Harry Potter franchise is currently streaming on Peacock, and Tom Felton’s memoir is also on shelves. Fans can relive some of the more private or unknown moments from the movies by reading about Felton’s accounts firsthand. We would hope more moments like the Voldemort hug are detailed in the book.