Key Takeaways:
– Harry Potter lead character was almost played by Tom Felton, not by Daniel Radcliffe.
– Director Chris Columbus reveals that Felton had been close to getting the role.
– A final nod from J.K. Rowling was the magical twist that gave the role to Radcliffe.
The Magical Casting Conundrum
Imagine a world where Draco Malfoy was the one who lived, and Harry Potter was lurking in Slytherin. Sounds like a fan fiction plot, right? But it was a real casting decision that was nearly made. As revealed by Director Chris Columbus, Daniel Radcliffe had almost lost his pivotal role to Tom Felton, thanks to Warner Bros’ choice.
A Twist of Fate
Felton, who later became remembered as Draco Malfoy, was surprisingly considered to play the prophesied hero, Harry Potter. The studios saw potential in him, and thought he was the perfect fit for the role. He did an amazing Harry Potter reading which made him a strong contender. But the magical twist happened after J.K. Rowling gave her final nod for Radcliffe to play the lead.
When Felton Nearly Became Harry Potter
In an interview with THR, Columbus talked about the initial casting decisions. Apparently, in early casting for the Harry Potter franchise, Columbus and the Warner Bros were in a pickle to cast the perfect child for Harry Potter. They felt that Felton could be the perfect fit. Given Radcliffe’s hesitance to audition, Felton seemed like an ideal choice.
The Complete Harry Potter Package
Felton stood out in auditions, especially after he was tested with the full Harry appearance – dyed hair, scar, and glasses. The outcome was impressive, and given this, Warner Bros was adamant about casting Felton as Harry. The only hitch? Felton’s dark dyed hair looked a bit bizarre.
The Perfect Malfoy
Despite Felton’s impressive audition, Columbus felt Felton was destined for a different yet iconic role in the series. Felton’s portrayal of Draco Malfoy turned out to be legendary, and opened the door for Radcliffe to play Harry.
Rowling’s Role in Radcliffe’s Casting
Warner Bros put extra effort into convincing Radcliffe’s parents to allow him to audition. Radcliffe’s reading floored everyone, including Rowling, who had the final say in his casting. Upon seeing Radcliffe’s performance, she found him perfect for the role she had envisioned.
Rowling’s support gave a huge confidence boost to the director and the team. He loved him, Rowling loved him, and that love sealed the deal. A couple of days later, they announced Radcliffe as the boy who lived.
Sealing the Deal
In essence, Rowling played the role of the Sorting Hat in casting decisions. Her approval reassured that Radcliffe was the perfect choice, and the actor was able to bring a unique charm to the character of Harry Potter. In the end, we got the perfect Harry in Radcliffe and the perfect Malfoy in Felton.
In Conclusion
So, that’s the interesting story of the magic behind the Harry Potter casting decisions. It’s fascinating to imagine how different the world of Harry Potter might have been with Felton as Harry. But, all’s well that ends well. So let’s appreciate that the end result was Radcliffe as Harry and Felton as Draco, quintessential roles that they both played to perfection.
