Starring in an eight-film mega-movie franchise might seem like the opportunity of a lifetime for any actor, but Tom Felton didn't cherish the experience of being an overnight cinematic success story as much as others might. Before the final film Deathly Hallows – Part 2 hit theaters, Felton revealed that he resented the series for depriving him of his childhood — surprising but understandable, given that production on the first film launched when he was just 12 years old.
Whereas some of his co-stars were emotional about the franchise that informed their childhoods coming to an end, Felton seemed a bit bitter. He told The Daily Mail that he looked forward to the "freedom" of not starring in the films anymore, including getting to kick back and enjoy the sunshine for a while to shed the Malfoy pallor, because he didn't want fame.
"One thing that people keep on saying to me is that the wealth and the fame must have made up for missing out on my childhood. But the idea of money — putting a price on your childhood — is ridiculous," he said. "To me, fame is not a positive thing. The idea of being famous is a lot better than the reality. It's fantastic when you go to premieres and people cheer you, but it's not real." Considering most of those fans who were cheering him on at those very premieres were the ones he'd need to see his next movies, those words may have come back to bite him harder than Nagini.
