JK Rowling’s reward to only Harry Potter star who didn’t turn on her – and her ‘heartbreaking’ snub to Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint revealed: GRANT TUCKER

When the young cast of the new Harry Potter TV series begin filming this summer, there will be one familiar face they can turn to for advice.

Not Daniel Radcliffe or Emma Watson or Rupert Grint, the former child stars who played wizarding heroes Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in the original film franchise.

Instead it will be Tom Felton, who played Potter’s arch-enemy: the villainous, peroxide-blond Draco Malfoy.

I am told the 37-year-old has endeared himself to Warner Bros – the parent company of HBO which is producing the new series – and more importantly to Harry Potter creator JK Rowling.

While his co-stars have publicly distanced themselves from the author for her gender-critical campaigning – including her support for the recent Supreme Court ruling that trans women are not legally women – Felton has refused to criticise her. And now – 14 years since the release of the eighth and final film – his loyalty seems to have paid off.

‘Everyone knows that Tom has Jo’s blessing,’ a source told me.

‘While others turned their backs on her, he treated her with dignity even if he disagreed with her.

‘And now it seems he will be the one original cast member who will be involved with the new production.’

Fans hope a grown-up Felton will return to the new series as Draco’s villainous father Lucius, who was played by Jason Isaacs in the original franchise. While I’m told that this is unlikely, showrunners want to use him in other ways.

‘The producers want to keep the television series separate from the original movies,’ my insider added.

‘Tom has expressed an interest in visiting the set and meeting with the actor playing Draco, and Warner is keen to make it happen. There has even been talk of getting him involved in creating behind-the-scenes content for HBO which could form part of a documentary about the making of the TV show.’

It is quite a feat by Felton, who is also known for his roles in the West End and in Hollywood franchise Planet Of The Apes. He remains close to Radcliffe, Watson and Grint, and has previously told me they still keep in touch via a WhatsApp group.

But, unlike his co-stars, he has refused to be drawn into the debate about Rowling’s views on the trans community.

Pressed on his views in 2022, he appeared to stand by the author, saying: ‘No one has single-handedly done more for bringing joy to so many different generations and walks of life.

‘I’m constantly reminded of her positive work in [the literary] field and as a person. I’ve only had a handful of meetings with her but she has always been lovely. So I’m very grateful for that.’

Rowling’s relationship with the original cast deteriorated in 2020 after she published a 4,000-word essay on her website, writing that women should be defined by their biological sex and not their gender identity.