Tom Felton’s Minimal Harry Potter Screen Time Compared to Emma Watson’s Reveals Draco Malfoy’s Real Purpose
With far less screen time than Hermione Granger, Tom Felton’s Draco Malfoy still dominates Harry Potter’s memory—proof that presence is measured in impact, not minutes.
Tom Felton didn’t need much time on camera to leave a mark. Draco Malfoy pops in and out across the Harry Potter movies, but the character’s footprint is much bigger than his stopwatch says. If you’ve always felt like Draco was everywhere, you’re not wrong — the numbers are wild.
The math vs the memory
The core trio understandably owned the runtime, but Felton still managed to turn limited scenes into a franchise-defining presence. Here’s how the minutes stack up across the entire 1,179-minute series:
- Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe): 539 minutes
- Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint): 211 minutes
- Hermione Granger (Emma Watson): 205 minutes
- Rubeus Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane): 45 minutes 45 seconds
- Lord Voldemort (various): 37 minutes 15 seconds
- Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton): 31 minutes 45 seconds — roughly 2.7% of the entire saga
Even by film, his screentime whiplashes: his meatiest run is in Half-Blood Prince at about eight minutes, and in Order of the Phoenix he’s barely there for just over one. Yet he’s still one of the most-quoted, most-argued-about characters in the whole thing. That’s presence.
About that HBO reboot — and a sneaky cameo
With HBO’s Harry Potter reboot on the horizon (the one that’s rumored to hew closer to the books), Felton is fanning the flames in the most Felton way possible. He told PEOPLE he’s itching to pop up where fans least expect it, joking about surprising the new Draco and slipping into the background for fun.
"I’ll definitely be sneaking into a background shot as an extra."
He’s also been open about his affection for the world that made him famous. Speaking to The Times, he said he’s met J.K. Rowling a handful of times and she’s always been lovely, adding that he’s grateful for what she’s done in creating something that brings joy to so many different people. If the reboot really goes deep on character work, there’s a good chance we’ll finally get more than 31 minutes of Slytherin’s most notorious prefect.
The money: short screentime, huge paycheck
For all of 31 minutes and 45 seconds of screentime, Felton reportedly earned £14 million — about $18 million — across the film series (via LadBible). Do the rough math and that lands at around £451,613 per minute, or $612,689. Not bad for a guy who spent a lot of scenes glowering from the end of a corridor.
Felton was cast at 13 and suddenly had fame and serious money, which went exactly how you think. He’s said (via Express) he blew plenty of it on classic teenage splurges — skateboards, clothes — and then graduated to BMWs for himself and family, despite a warning that cars are money pits. The reality check came fast: a brutal tax situation, debt collectors, and a long sit-down with an accountant. It took about 18 months to steady everything and take control again.
Still a Potter fan, still Team Emma
Felton never distanced himself from the franchise. He told ELLE Australia in 2023 that he’s a massive Potter fan — the books got him back into reading when reading wasn’t exactly cool — and he’s proud of the community it created. In his view, the series brought people together in a way he rarely sees elsewhere, from sports fans to his own friend group, which includes at least one Marvel obsessive.
And yes, his real-life bond with Emma Watson remains a fandom favorite. He’s said he loves her, he’s pretty sure the feeling’s mutual, and he still laughs about being a smug 13-year-old when they first met (she was nine and on her first set). He’s praised what she’s doing in the world now, and while that off-screen Dramione never happened, the friendship is clearly the real deal.
The point
Draco Malfoy is proof that impact isn’t measured in minutes. Thirty-one and change was enough to spark decades of debate, rewatches, and a new generation waiting to see who picks up the wand next — possibly with Felton ghosting through the background to say hello.
Would you want more Draco in the HBO take? Hit the comments. Also, if you’re in the mood for a rewatch, the Harry Potter films are streaming in the US on Max.