Tom Felton returns as Draco Malfoy in Broadway debut

Tom Felton received a roaring welcome in New York as he made his Broadway debut in "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child", stepping back into the role that defined his career — Draco Malfoy. The British actor, who first played the character in the Harry Potter film series, appeared visibly moved as the audience erupted in applause when he walked on stage at the Lyric Theatre.

The ovation was so prolonged that the play paused momentarily before Felton could deliver his first line, "I need a favour." The moment marked a homecoming for the actor who had grown up on screen as the silver-haired Slytherin, now returning to portray an older, more complex Draco in the stage adaptation.

Felton's appearance makes him the first performer from the Harry Potter films to officially join the Broadway cast of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child". The production picks up 19 years after the original story, following Harry, Hermione, Ron and Draco as their children begin their own journeys at Hogwarts.

At the curtain call, Felton appeared overwhelmed, smiling through cheers and applause that filled the theatre. Speaking later, he described the experience as deeply emotional. "It's very easy to get emotional," he said. "When they put my blond wig on, I cried. It felt like a blast from the past."

Felton reflected that revisiting Draco after so many years offered new creative challenges. "I knew him as a kid. I don't know him as an adult. That's what makes it interesting." The actor is set to appear in the role until March 22, 2026.

"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" first opened in London's West End in 2016, before making its Broadway debut in 2018. Since then, the play has toured globally — with productions in Melbourne, Hamburg, Toronto and Tokyo — drawing steady audiences and critical acclaim. It remains one of the most successful stage productions linked to a major film franchise, continuing to bridge generations of fans who grew up with JK Rowling's magical world.