Harry Potter's Tom Felton Returns as Draco Malfoy, Audience Stops Performance

One of the legends from the original Harry Potter film films has reprised their role for a new production.

Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films released between 2001 and 2011, has returned to the role for a new production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway.

Felton reprised the role on stage earlier this week, with his first appearance in the show being met with roaring applause from the audience. It was that raucous that Felton had to pause for the audience to regain its composure, with fans naturally overwhelmed by the return of the man who says 'POTTER' like no one else.

Malfoy was a major antagonist in the Harry Potter series of books and films, but is portrayed more sympathetically in The Cursed Child as he becomes more a supporting character.

The character is set to appear in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series, which adapts the books one season at a time. He’ll be played by Lox Pratt.

Felton is the only actor to date from the original Harry Potter series to reprise their role for a new production or adaptation of the series.

He came under fire earlier this year for comments regarding Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s comments on the transgender community.

Rowling has been a vocal commentator on trans issues, taking to social media to voice them on a regular occurrence, which many have accused as being transphobic and harmful to the community.

When asked about whether Rowling’s views had impacted his work earlier this year, Felton expressed: “No, I can’t say it does. I’m not really that attuned to it.

“The only thing I always remind myself is that I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world - here I am in New York - and I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter.

"And she’s responsible for that, so I’m incredibly grateful.”

These comments were criticised by fans as being dismissive and tone deaf. Some noted how much they varied from comments made by his Harry Potter co-stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, who have repeatedly vocalised their support of the transgender community in the past.

“I firmly stand with the trans community and echo the sentiments expressed by many of my peers,” Grint said in a previous statement to The Times.

“Trans women are women, Trans men are men.

"We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment.”

Meanwhile, Radcliffe said that “Obviously Harry Potter would not have happened without her, so nothing in my life would have probably happened the way it is without that person. But that doesn’t mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life.”