Draco Malfoy has now been played by 2 boys, 25 years apart.
Tom Felton defined him over 8 films, and Lox Pratt takes over in HBO’s series this Christmas.
Here is how the 2 Dracos compare, from casting to hair to the fathers who terrorised them on screen.
How Old Were They When Cast?
Felton auditioned at 12 and was 13 when filming started on Philosopher’s Stone.
Pratt was cast in June 2025 and was 14 during his 2026 press interviews.
Their experience levels were very different. Felton was a working child actor long before Hogwarts, with commercials from age 8 and films such as The Borrowers and Anna and the King.
Pratt had no screen credits at all. Lord of the Flies and Harry Potter are his first 2 roles.
How They Got The Part
Felton walked in without having opened the books.
Tom Felton arrives for the world premiere of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” November 4, 2001 in London – @Getty
At a group audition he panicked when the director asked about them, thinking: “I have no idea what Harry Potter is!”.
He believes his attitude got him cast.
Director Chris Columbus spotted “this slight disinterest and arrogance in me, which he thought could work for Malfoy,” he said.
Tom had tried for Harry and Ron first, with his hair dyed brown and then ginger.
Pratt’s path also started with a different role.
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He auditioned for Ralph in Lord of the Flies and was handed the villain Jack instead. Draco came next, in HBO’s casting round of June 2025.
Felton played up Draco’s arrogance. Pratt wants to show where it comes from.
Tom Felton attends Universal Studios’ “Wizarding World of Harry Potter Opening” at Universal Studios Hollywood on April 5, 2016 – @Getty
“In the films, Draco is sort of 2D,” Pratt told 1883 Magazine.
His version leans on the family: “Draco’s loved, but he’s got this horrible, crippling family pressure”.
He likes villains for their depth: “The evil characters are more complicated”.
Screen time explains part of the gap. Felton’s Draco appeared for about 30 minutes in total over 8 films, while the series gives each book a full season.
The Hair
Felton bleached his hair for a decade to get Draco’s platinum shade.
Evanna Lynch, James Phelps, Rupert Grint, Oliver Phelps, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis and Bonnie Wright attend the “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” photocall on July 6, 2011 in London – @Getty
He joked that “the fact I still have hair at all is remarkable”.
For his adult Draco on Broadway, he wears a wig. Fans noted that Pratt already has the light blond look the role needs.
Felton’s Lucius was Jason Isaacs. In the very first scene they shot together, Isaacs hit his screen son with his cane by accident. (AOL).
Pratt’s Lucius is Johnny Flynn, and so far the mood is calmer. Pratt said: “He’s got a lot of aura”.
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Felton learned the job on a set with no phones and no feeds. He remembers a time when “There was literally physical film cameras”.
He described a boom operator in his 70s rolling cigarettes with one hand while Felton and Daniel Radcliffe learned Quidditch on broomsticks.
Pratt’s generation works under social media scrutiny from day 1, something Felton called hard to even imagine.
The Handover
Felton reached out before the series aired.
Tom Felton attends the British Vogue And Tiffany & Co. Celebrate Fashion And Film Party 2023 – @Getty
He sent his phone number and address to Pratt and his parents and refused to give acting notes: “I can’t offer you advice. This is your journey”.
His one practical tip was about props: grab as many as possible, because they will be worth a fortune one day. Pratt confirmed the message reached him.
Felton is still playing Draco, as an adult, in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway.
Pratt starts on HBO on December 25, 2026, and the show is already renewed for Chamber of Secrets.
The best part is the overlap. For the first time, 2 Dracos exist at once, one in his late 30s on stage and one at 14 on screen, which says the character is bigger than any single actor.
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I am Bulgarea Candin Stefan, and I founded FamousPeopleToday.com in 2018. I’m using my bachelor’s degree in economics and 9 years of experience in blogging to guide millions of people through the incredibly complex world of celebrity net worths.