The English actor/director Alan Rickman who tragically passed away in 2016 left behind some fine work of art, fond memories, and a huge fanbase. And certainly, a major portion of his memories for his fans and colleagues are from his appearance as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter franchise.
Recalling his time on the set of Harry Potter alongside Alan Rickman, Tom Felton discussed a scary memory of the late actor. While praising Rickman for being extremely sweet, Felton discussed an incident that made him feel slightly intimidated by the veteran actor.
Also read: Top Alan Rickman Movies to Watch That Aren’t Harry Potter
Working With Alan Rickman Was Scary for Tom Felton
Playing the role of Harry Potter’s school nemesis Draco Malfoy at a young age, was already quite intimidating for Tom Felton. Having several cameras focused on him, and being in the media spotlight, Felton often feared messing things up. But nothing scared the actor more than working with the late veteran, Alan Rickman.
During a rewatch of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on TikTok back in 2021, Tom Felton recalled how intimidated he was by Alan Rickman. Scared of working with the late actor, Felton shared his experience of being around Rickman. Having a conversation with fans on TikTok, as per Far Out Magazine, Felton revealed, working with Rickman was,
“Scary. He was the only actor I knew, and [he was] terrifying in the most pleasant way.”
Further adding how kind and generous Alan Rickman was, Tom Felton also cited the late actor’s “wicked sense of humor”. A year later, when Felton appeared for the promotion of his mémoire, Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard, he recalled a particular incident that truly scared the life out of him.
Alan Rickman Channeled His Inner Snape on Tom Felton
Returning to the subject of Alan Rickman, during the press event promoting his memoir in 2022, Tom Felton recalled a terrifying incident from the set of Harry Potter via Instagram. Discussing how he accidentally stepped on Rickman’s signature black cloak, Felton opened up about what happened next.
“I was told in no uncertain terms by Alan Rickman: ‘Don’t step on my f*cking cloak’, [I] sort of giggled. Death Eaters and I looked at each other and thought, ‘Is he joking?’ It quickly became apparent: he’s totally not joking.”
Despite being warned by Alan Rickman, Tom Felton surprisingly did what he was told not to. Recalling the scene when the film’s director asked him to walk really close to the veteran actor, Felton shared how he accidentally stepped on Rickman’s cloak and witnessed him channeling his inner Snape.
“The next take, the director was very keen for me to walk as close as I can to Alan. We got about halfway through the Great Hall before [mimes stepping on Rickman’s cloak]. You have to bear in mind his cloak’s attached around his neck – I nearly killed the poor man! He turned around and gave me a look you never, ever want to see.”
Terrifying as it is, the then-teenage actor had to repeat the scene all over again, but this time someone else stepped on Rickman’s cloak. “That kind of took the heat away from me. But I’ll never forget those words: ‘Don’t step on my f*cking cloak’.” Felton shared. Well, Alan Rickman was overall a lovely and kind person, unless someone stepped on his cloak and nearly choked him.
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Source: Instagram, TikTok (via Far Out Magazine)
