The Tom Felton Harry Potter reunion delighted fans as Tom Felton and Daniel Radcliffe met in New York at a screening of Merrily We Roll Along’s film adaptation, nearly a quarter-century after debuting as rivals on-screen. Their friendly encounter reignited memories of their legendary characters and underscored the ongoing legacy of the Harry Potter franchise.
Potter Enemies Turn Real-Life Friends: The Reunion Event
Returning nearly twenty-five years after the premiere of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Daniel Radcliffe and Tom Felton, once bitter rivals as Potter and Malfoy, reunited in New York. The meeting took place at Merrily We Roll Along’s film adaptation screening, where Daniel, fresh off his acclaimed Broadway performance alongside Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez, shared a joyful side hug with Tom. Daniel chose a dark denim jacket over a brown T-shirt with black pants, while Tom appeared in a caramel peacoat, white T-shirt, and patterned brown trousers—all smiles marking the reunion of these former castmates.
Tom’s appearance in New York also aligns with his current role on Broadway, starring as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. After taking up the iconic part once more, Tom shared that he sought advice from Daniel, now a Tony winner for his performance in Merrily We Roll Along.
“I’ve taken a few tips from Potter,”
said Tom Felton, Joking during an appearance on Good Morning America.
“He was one of the early inspirations for me to come to Broadway. I think I saw him during his first show 10-plus years ago and now he’s a Tony winner and a big inspiration for why Broadway is so special.”
– Tom Felton, Actor
From Hogwarts to Broadway and Beyond: Daniel and Tom’s Stage Journeys
Daniel Radcliffe’s career has continually expanded since his early days as the ‘boy who lived.’ After knocking down the doors of the entertainment industry with Harry Potter, he pushed the boundaries of his craft, beginning with his bold Broadway debut in Equus in 2007. He later starred in productions such as How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Cripple of Inishmaan, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, culminating in his Tony-winning turn in Merrily We Roll Along. On screen, Radcliffe has taken diverse roles, from horror with The Woman in Black to the parody Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, and shown his comedic and dramatic talents in both TV and film.
Radcliffe’s personal life has also advanced, maintaining a long-term relationship with actress Erin Darke, with whom he shares a son born in April 2023. Daniel, meanwhile, has expressed gratitude for the opportunities provided by the franchise, but stated an unwillingness to return to the iconic role for now.
“I’m getting to a point where I feel like I made it out of Potter OK,”
– Daniel Radcliffe, Actor
“and I’m really happy with where I am now, and to go back would be such a massive change to my life.”
– Daniel Radcliffe, Actor
Still, Radcliffe has not completely closed the door on a future return to Potter, though he emphasized,
“It’s not something I’m really interested in doing right now.”
– Daniel Radcliffe, Actor
Emma Watson’s Evolution: From Magical Roots to New Ventures
Emma Watson, known worldwide for her portrayal of Hermione Granger, began her career with the Harry Potter series, which served as her first professional acting job. After completing all seven films, she balanced her life between studying at Brown University, ultimately graduating with a degree in English literature, and embracing independent film roles such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Bling Ring. Watson later took on key roles as Belle in Beauty and the Beast and Meg in Little Women before choosing to step away from acting for a more personal journey.
“I’m just so glad that I did [step away from acting] because I have this feeling of having my own voice and creative space and sovereignty in some way that I don’t think I did before–more autonomy,”
she told British Vogue in 2023.
“I’m so glad that I allowed things to be messy for a minute and to really allow myself to not know [what’s next], because the knowing that I’ve come to, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”
– Emma Watson, Actress
Her subsequent path included studying creative writing at Oxford, co-founding the gin brand Renais with her brother Alex Watson, and directing commercials. Emma has also modeled for major labels and is recognized as a persistent advocate for gender equality.
Rupert Grint’s Path After Potter
Rupert Grint fit perfectly into the shoes of Ron Weasley, Harry’s ever-loyal friend. After the series, Grint worked in British productions such as The ABC Murders and the dark comedy Sick Note, expanding into film roles like CBGB and Moonwalkers. He also starred in M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant and Knock at the Cabin.
“After Potter I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,”
Grint told Radio Times in 2018.
“I had this feeling that I had missed out on normal things. I lost touch with a lot of my friends from school. I wanted to have a bit of a life again, so I took a break. I’ve never really been super-ambitious. I think there’s always been something in me, particularly when I finished Potter, that wants to prove myself, but I’m also naturally quite an insecure person anyway.”
– Rupert Grint, Actor
His craft continued to grow, with M. Night Shyamalan remarking,
“He came in and auditioned, and I just saw a different person. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen this kind of reinvention from child actor to adult actor in my life, it’s amazing.”
– M. Night Shyamalan, Filmmaker
On the personal front, Rupert Grint and Georgia Groome welcomed a daughter, Wednesday G. Grint, in May 2020.
The Remarkable Transformation of Matthew Lewis
Matthew Lewis, who memorably played Neville Longbottom, has undergone a widely noted transformation since his Hogwarts days. He has primarily worked on stage and screen in England, with credits in The Syndicate, Me Before You, Terminal, and Bluestone 42, a BBC Three dramedy about a bomb disposal squad.
“Potter was an amazing and a unique experience that I was privileged to have been a part of,”
Lewis told RadioTimes.com.
“but I’ve never been as involved with or as proud of a project as I have with Bluestone 42—I’ve had so much fun being a part of it, so much more than I’ve ever had before as an actor, definitely.”
– Matthew Lewis, Actor
Lewis has continued to work on productions such as Avoidance, All Creatures Great & Small, Baby Done, and Ripper Street. In his personal life, he married Angela Jones in 2018, and the couple celebrated the place where they first met—the Wizarding World of Harry Potter—by returning for a visit in 2019.
Tom Felton’s Continued Journey and Openness
Tom Felton, famously known for portraying Draco Malfoy, has combined acting on stage and screen with his passion for music. While he became known to global audiences through his role in Harry Potter, Felton expanded his portfolio to include movies such as Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Belle, and A United Kingdom, as well as television roles including the CW’s The Flash and the sci-fi drama Origin. As a musician, Tom has released several extended plays, sharing another aspect of his creativity with fans.
Felton’s personal life has also drawn interest. He was in a long-term relationship with Jade Olivia Gordon, who played his on-screen wife Astoria Malfoy, and later formed a relationship with Roxanne Danya. In his memoir, Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard, Felton candidly described the struggles tied to fame and his friendship with Emma Watson.
“I’ve always had a secret love for Emma, though not perhaps in the way that people might want to hear,”
he wrote.
“That isn’t to say there’s never been a spark between us. There most definitely has, only at different times.”
– Tom Felton, Actor
“I don’t think I was ever in love with Emma,”
Felton explained,
“but I loved and admired her as a person in a way that I could never explain to anybody else.”
– Tom Felton, Actor
Bonnie Wright: From Youngest Weasley to Environmental Author
Bonnie Wright, who grew into the character of Ginny Weasley from Ron’s little sister to Harry’s partner, has successfully parlayed her experience into a multifaceted career. After graduating from London College of Communication, she founded a production company called BonBonLumière and has acted in independent projects like After the Dark and Who Killed Nelson Nutmeg?. Wright also turned to directing, with short films such as Separate We Come, Separate We Go—featuring David Thewlis—and Know Thyself with Christian Coulson. She further demonstrated her commitment to environmental advocacy through her book, Go Gently, aimed at inspiring readers to join the climate movement.
Wright has experienced significant moments with her castmates, including reunions with Watson, Felton, Lewis, and Evanna Lynch. She previously was engaged to Jamie Campbell Bower and later found happiness with Andrew Lococo, marrying in March 2022 and welcoming son Elio in September 2023.
The Phelps Twins: Continuing as Pranksters and Hosts
James and Oliver Phelps, the real-life twins known as Fred and George Weasley, maintained their brotherly charm beyond Hogwarts. Their careers included continued twin roles in films like Our Own Worst Enemy and Last Night in Soho, while James also branched out with credits such as Patchwork and Cadia: The World Within. The brothers hosted the podcast Normal Not Normal and the competition series Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking. Family-wise, Oliver married Katie Humpage and became a father to two daughters, while James wed Annika Ostle in 2016.
Alfred Enoch: From Dean Thomas to International TV Star
Alfred Enoch, who portrayed Dean Thomas, advanced his career through prominent stage roles in England, appearances on Broadchurch, Sherlock, and a main role in How to Get Away With Murder as Wes. His talents later took him to productions like Foundation, The Couple Next Door, and Miss Austen. Enoch, a graduate of The Queen’s College, Oxford, continues to expand his range in both television and theater.
Christian Coulson: Defining Tom Riddle and Beyond
Christian Coulson landed the pivotal role of Tom Riddle despite being older than the role called for. He transitioned to a variety of roles, including Damien George in Nashville, Sebastian in Mozart in the Jungle, and Benjamin in High Fidelity. Coulson’s career showcases the diverse directions former Hogwarts students pursued after the franchise.
Katie Leung: Breaking Barriers as Cho Chang
Katie Leung beat out thousands to become Cho Chang, Harry’s crush in Goblet of Fire, but faced significant online racism after her casting.
“I was like, Googling myself at one point and I was on this website which was dedicated to kind of Harry Potter fandom and I remember reading all the comments. It was a lot of racist s–t,”
Leung said on the Chinese Chippy Girl podcast in 2021.
“And then somebody had actually created a website, a hate site—it was like, if you disagree with this casting, then click on this button and then it would just be like a count of how many people disagreed with the casting and you would just see a number…I know, it’s awful. It’s so awful.”
– Katie Leung, Actress
Undeterred, Leung pursued acting in the UK through TV and stage, including White Dragon, Chimerica, and The Nest. She voiced Caitlyn in Arcane and acted in Nightsleeper, Annika, Chemistry of Death, and The Foreigner. Rounding out her personal milestones, she welcomed son Wolf in December 2022.
Robert Pattinson: From Triwizard Champion to Blockbuster Batman
Robert Pattinson’s career trajectory soared after his role as Cedric Diggory, venturing into another beloved franchise as Edward Cullen in The Twilight Saga. He later transitioned to independent cinema, earning acclaim in Movies like Maps to the Stars, Cosmopolis, and Good Time. Pattinson returned to the blockbuster stage as Batman in the 2022 DC film. On the personal side, he became engaged to Suki Waterhouse in late 2023, and they welcomed their first child in March 2024.
Clémence Poésy: Fleur Delacour’s Enduring Success
Clémence Poésy captivated audiences as Fleur Delacour and has continued working steadily in both French and English-language productions, including Gossip Girl, In Bruges, and Genius: Picasso. She also appeared in The Essex Serpent and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.
“I was thinking today how much it’s made me closer to women, somehow; closer to women in the centuries before, the whole clinical aspect of being pregnant and then becoming a mum and giving birth, it makes you think a lot,”
she told The Guardian.
“It’s made my admiration for women even stronger.”
– Clémence Poésy, Actress
Evanna Lynch: Luna Lovegood’s New Chapters
Evanna Lynch’s portrayal of the unconventional Luna Lovegood left a lasting impression, but she has been candid about the challenges of life after the franchise.
“It was just weird because we were getting all this fan mail and all this attention,”
Lynch told Bustle in 2019.
“But I found in the real world that wasn’t reflected. And it was hard. I think for a while I really missed the validation of being in a giant film series where anything you did was just admired and gushed over.”
Her post-Potter projects include animated work on My Freaky Family and launching the Kinder Beauty Box, a vegan-friendly beauty line, in 2018. Collaborating with Dr. Melanie Joy, Lynch co-hosts the podcast Just Beings, and finished third on Dancing With the Stars in 2018. She released a memoir titled The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting in 2021 and spoke about the enduring friendships she shares with other alumni.
“I think a lot of us have bonded more since the films,”
Lynch said.
“Just because we’re older and we’re adults now. Say, for example, I hung out with the twins this weekend, James and Oliver [Phelps]. And I didn’t talk to them much on the films because when you’re 14 and whatever, they’re 18 or 19, it seems like such a giant age gap. When you’re adults it doesn’t seem that much.”
– Evanna Lynch, Actress
Josh Herdman: From Supporting Villain to Diverse Career Paths
Josh Herdman, recognizable as Goyle, diversified his career in the years after Harry Potter. He appeared in Marcella, Robin Hood (2018), Murder at White House Farm, and Alex Rider. Venturing outside acting, Herdman began an MMA career in 2016. In his personal life, he married Jessica Herdman in 2023, and they have two children.
Harry Melling: A Bully’s Transformation On and Off Screen
Harry Melling, known as Dudley Dursley, underwent a notable physical transformation and remained in the films by wearing prosthetics. As an adult, Melling worked on productions such as The Lost City of Z, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, and the series His Dark Materials. He reteamed with Joel Coen as Malcolm in The Tragedy of Macbeth and played Harry Beltik in Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit.
The Enduring Magic of the Harry Potter Cast
The Tom Felton Harry Potter reunion is a reminder that the legacy of the wizarding world extends far beyond the years spent on set. Each cast member—whether Tom Felton, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, or others—has shaped their own path, often providing inspiration to one another. These reunions, projects, and personal moments continue to captivate fans, reflecting both the personal growth of the actors and the continued cultural resonance of Harry Potter. As the years progress, the bonds forged at Hogwarts and on its legendary sets remain an indelible part of popular culture, promising more magical moments for fans of all ages.
