New Draco Malfoy Actor Says He’ll Play Him Differently

Lox Pratt is 14 years old, has two iconic literary villains on his résumé, and apparently a pocketful of stolen Hogwarts props. The young British actor, who will bring Draco Malfoy to life in HBO’s highly anticipated Harry Potter reboot series, is already making clear that his version of the platinum-haired bully is going to feel like something new.

“He’s still very much Draco, but I’m putting my own spin on him,” Pratt told Variety in a new interview. “He’s definitely got more layers.”

That’s a bold statement to make when you’re stepping into shoes worn by Tom Felton — whose portrayal of Malfoy became so beloved that fans arguably rooted for the villain more than the story ever intended. But Pratt has a point when it comes to the opportunity in front of him. Felton appeared for just 30 minutes in total across all seven films. In the HBO series, which is giving each of J.K. Rowling’s books a full season, Pratt will have room to breathe — and to dig.

Two Villains, Two Very Different Kinds of Broken

Pratt isn’t coming into Hogwarts cold. His first major screen role is Jack in the new Lord of the Flies adaptation, which launched on Netflix on May 4 after airing in the U.K. to critical acclaim. The four-part BBC series — written by Jack Thorne and shot in Malaysia — has already drawn comparisons to Adolescence, and Pratt has been submitted for Emmy consideration for his performance. He’s also set to present at next weekend’s BAFTA TV awards alongside co-star Winston Sawyers.

On the surface, Jack and Draco seem like obvious parallels — both privileged, both cruel, both characters who’ve been depicted on screen before. But Pratt pushes back on the easy comparison.

“I think they’re two very different kinds of sadness and meanness,” he explained. “Draco’s loved, but he’s got this horrible, crippling family pressure. He’s not quite who he wants to be the entire time and can’t live up to his father’s expectations. Whereas I felt with Jack that he got his own thing going on. He’s just unloved, and that’s never been a thing that he’s needed.”

It’s a surprisingly mature read from a teenager, and it tracks with how Pratt originally approached Jack — not as a one-dimensional savage, but as a kid with a backstory worth understanding. He originally auditioned for Ralph, the story’s moral center, but was recalled for Jack after sending in a tape. He credits writer Jack Thorne with broadening the character beyond Golding’s source material, giving him enough emotional architecture to make audiences feel something other than simple revulsion.

The same instinct seems to be guiding his approach to Malfoy. He’s not looking to replicate Felton. He’s looking for what the books always promised and the films — constrained by runtime — couldn’t fully deliver.

What the Trailer Revealed (And What It Didn’t)

When HBO dropped the first trailer for the series, Malfoy appeared for exactly one blink-and-miss-it moment: a single shot of Pratt pulling out his wand. That’s it. No lingering close-up, no dramatic introduction.

Pratt was relieved.

“I’m glad they kept it quite minimal and it wasn’t too exposing,” he said. “And I’m glad it was very quick-as-a-flash. I’m excited for people to see it because he’s so different to how Draco was in the films.”

He acknowledged there was a “flood of messages” after the trailer dropped, but was happy his friends kept their enthusiasm measured. For a 14-year-old navigating what is about to become one of the most scrutinized roles in a generation, that kind of restraint — both from the show and from his circle — seems to matter.

Tom Felton’s Blessing — and the Props

Felton, 38, has been publicly supportive of his successor from the start. Earlier this year, the original Malfoy revealed he’d reached out to Pratt directly, passing along his phone number and making clear he was available — not to offer a master class, but just to be a friendly voice if Pratt ever needed one.

“We were entering things that don’t exist. There’s quite a lot of weight now,” Felton said on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “So the last thing I’m gonna do is offer anything other than say, ‘Here’s my phone number. Here’s my address.’ To his parents, as well as him — and to anyone else there.”

He did, however, slip in one very specific piece of practical advice: steal as many props as you can. “They’ll be worth a fortune,” Felton told him, also urging Pratt to “have as much fun as possible” and “take as many pictures as you can.”

Pratt took the note seriously. “Yeah, I probably can’t reveal how many props I’ve taken,” he told Variety with what you can only imagine was a very Malfoy-ish smirk.

What Comes After Hogwarts

With seven seasons potentially ahead of him — one book per season is the plan — Pratt is looking at a commitment that could stretch well into his twenties, mirroring the decade Felton spent in the role from 2001 to 2011. He seems clear-eyed about that reality.

For now, though, he’s already thinking about what kind of actor he wants to be when he eventually steps away from the dungeons. “Baddies are just more fun to play — there’s just so much more you can do,” he said. “It’s better than being stuck playing the good guy forever.” But he was quick to add: “I don’t think I’d take another bad guy role straight after this.”

It’s a fascinating parallel to Jason Isaacs, who plays Lucius Malfoy in the original films and famously walked into that franchise already tired of playing villains — then made Lucius one of the most compelling antagonists in the whole series.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone premieres on HBO on Christmas Day 2026. Lord of the Flies is streaming now on Netflix.

As for exactly how many wands, robes, or enchanted objects Pratt has quietly walked off set with? That, apparently, is classified.