Harry Potter: Tom Felton's Hogwarts House of Choice Isn't Even in the Books

It’s been seven long years since Tom Felton picked up his wizard’s wand as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, but once you join the Wizarding World (as we’re apparently calling the ever-expanding universe of books, movies, plays, and theme parks) there’s really no going back.

When I spoke to Felton last month as part of a promotional tour for his new horror sci-fi series Origin (a YouTube original), he had just gotten around to seeing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (“brilliant”). At the time, he still hadn’t seen Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, but Felton says he’s more than happy to see the series continue to expand — as long as they don’t remake his movies.

So I couldn’t resist reminiscing just a little bit about the original Harry Potter movies and our favorite Hogwarts houses. We also talked about Origin, a thrilling new show that feels like Lost and Alien had a freaky mutant monster, and it’s chasing you through a stranded spaceship, along with his season-long arc on The Flash, and, of course, more Harry Potter.

Have you seen the new Fantastic Beasts movie yet?

Haven’t seen it, but I’ve very excited. I did go and see the stage play for the first time a few weeks ago and I thought that was amazing. It was brilliant. A blast from the past and yet a look into the future as well. So, it’s pretty impressive that world is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Do you think it’s a good thing that the Harry Potter world continues to grow and expand beyond the original books?

If we were redoing the first ones then you may say, that’s enough, but they’re not repeating anything they haven’t done before so I think it’s only serving audience demand. That’s not going anywhere so they have full license to do so. I think they should expand the world as far and wide as possible. The theme park and the studio tour in London. I think it’s very inspiring, all the people doing things off the back of something Potter related.

What Hogwarts house would the real Tom Felton be sorted into?

Somewhere in the Slythedore.

Is that a cross-section?

Yes. I think I’m friendly enough to be Gryffindor, but naughty enough to be in Slytherin. How about you, where would you put yourself?

Well, when I was a kid I was a big Slythendore fan. I had a Slytherin t-shirt, but I’m a pretty easy going guy. I feel like I could be very happy in Hufflepuff. Just enjoying myself, not getting wrapped up in the competition or anything.

Yeah, sure [laughs]. That’s pretty good.

How does working in sci-fi like Origin or Planet of the Apes compare to acting in a fantasy story like Harry Potter?

I’m not really sure if there’s comparable really. They’re similar in many regards because it’s about creating new worlds, creating new rules, creating new laws that don’t apply here.

Fantasies set themselves in a world where nothing really exists from our world or a very unlikely version of it. Whereas I believe in witches and wizards, just as much as I believe in spaceships and extraterrestrials and stuff like that. So I see those two in the same light.

Just like Harry Potter is set within our Muggle world, it’s the same for Origins. There’s no Muggles, but it doesn’t feel to me like a dystopian, it feels quite now-ish. It feels like this might be a possibility in the next century or so. So yeah I suppose putting it all in realism I suppose is something that is pretty key to me.

Origins tells the story of a group of people who leave Earth to start a new life on an alien planet. Would you ever consider doing something like that?

I don’t know about that. I need a lot more details. I need to know where I’m going and what’s going on. Essentially, no. I’m quite fond of this planet, although we’re doing a good job of messing it up, there’s still lots here that’s worth hanging around for.

What can you tell us about your character on Origin?

He’s a hot-headed, foul-mouthed young man from California. He’s definitely not the most calm or rational man at first. He’s kind of given up on life. Given up on friendships. Given up on relationships. Thinking of a new fresh start, like the rest of them are on this new planet, I shall say no more than that.

What attracted you to the show?

It just felt like something new, to be honest with you. Working with YouTube. They very much let us do our own thing. That and working with Mika [Watkins]. She’s a very young Welsh girl and she’s a lot of fun to work with and she’s very friendly, which helps.

What’s it like working in an ensemble cast like this?

I love it. The show doesn’t really have a lead. It’s a 10 person cast, all from different parts of the world, which I think is really unique, and every week there’s a new character put into the limelight, or a new backstory told. I think it’s great, and we couldn’t have been happier with the actors we were working with.

Why did you leave The Flash after Season 3? Would you be interested in returning to the show?

Yeah absolutely. They had other plans for Season 4, I guess is the answer. You’d have to ask them not me. But would I come back? Yeah, for sure. I miss those guys a whole bunch. They’re wonderful guys to work with. So yeah, I’d never say never.

Last question, what’s your favorite movie that takes place in space?

Bloody good question. I’m a big fan of Alien. I kind of grew up on those. Can’t really count The Matrix can we, that’s not really space. Yeah, I’ll stick with Alien.

Origin debuts November 14 on YouTube Premium.