Tom Felton defended as Draco Malfoy comeback sparks backlash

Harry Potter star Tom Felton has been fiercely defended after his Draco Malfoy comeback sparked major backlash online.

Many Potterheads will no doubt be buzzing that the 38-year-old actor has now returned to the iconic role, a whole 14 years on from the last time he played the character.

Earlier this week (11 November), he made his Broadway debut for the sequel play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which follows the sons of Draco and Harry who become friends.

As Felton walked out on the stage, playing an older version of Draco, the play had to be halted, given the absolute eruption of cheers from the crowd in footage which has since gone viral on social media.

He was greeted with nearly 40 seconds of uninterrupted applause and cheering, with many Harry Potter fans getting super emotional over the footage.

However, it unsurprisingly didn't take long for critics to rush online to share their damning reactions, with one Reddit user hitting out: "Imagine being typecast as a single character."

"He’s made that single character his entire personality," jabbed a second, while a third piped up: "Guy really cannot get a job doing anything else, I guess."

A fourth quipped: "If I had been in a Harry Potter as a kid I would probably be insufferable about it. But it is disappointing that he hasn’t done anything else with his career."

"He tried to break out of it a little but I think he’s to addicted to the mega fame of the Potterverse," speculated a fifth.

Many others, however, fortunately rushed in to defend the star with one writing: "Happy for him. Still so strange to me that people are so hateful to him for loving his role."

A second pointed out: "It's so funny to me because Tom Felton is making some great money doing a job that he obviously loves while these haters most likely aren't doing that at all."

Some people don’t want there to be joy in the world, tbh

"Absolutely bizarre!" slammed a third. "I would love to see Tom Felton in the role, if I had the chance, or to see the show at all."

A fourth hit out: "It’s the fun police who obsess over others in their own lives but like to act superior to actors who remain connected to or deeply appreciative of the roles they’ve played."

Another noted: "The vast immeasurable abyss between how he’s trashed online versus how people actually feel/act in person should be studied. The real world is always way less toxic than it looks online!"

And a final Potterhead echoed: "They're angry because he refuses to discard HP and pretend he never had anything to do with it, like some of the other actors have done.

"He loves the world and he loves the role he played, and the haters are just mad and bitter people."

Whilst on the red carpet of this year's Tony Awards, Felton was asked by a Variety reporter whether the controversy surrounding Harry Potter author JK Rowling's views regarding the trans community 'impact' him or his work 'at all.'

"No, I can't say it does," he responded. "I'm not really that attuned to it.

"The only thing I really 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 [Rowling] responsible for that, so I'm incredibly grateful."

His statements led many to call out his 'privileged straight white man take'.