Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard

Felton and the other child actors are required to have a chaperone on the set at all times. Felton’s grandfather, Nigel Anstey, accompanies him for the first film. When director Chris Columbus sees Nigel, he decides that the man would make a fantastic Hogwarts professor. This earns Nigel a role as an extra in the first film. Felton’s grandfather also helps Felton to practice his lines, and more importantly, to perfect his trademark sneer for the role.

Director Chris Columbus brings the best out in his child actors by fostering a fun and relaxed environment and by creating shots that organically elicit the desired expressions and reactions from the children. For example, the young actors are kept away from the Great Hall set entirely until the cameras are rolling and can capture their authentic expressions of awe and wonder. Likewise, Felton is encouraged by Columbus’s quirky praise of his haughty sneers (“Ooh, you bastard!”), and such playful exclamations help him to understand when he is acting the part of Draco Malfoy effectively (87).

Chris Carreras, the first assistant director, disciplines the children whenever their silliness gets out of hand and disrupts the film’s progress. On one occasion, Felton gets in trouble for jumping on a cup to crush it while they are filming the King’s Cross station scene, not realizing that it is filled with hot chocolate.