In the Harry Potter series, Harry and Draco (both of the same age) began their Hogwarts journey in the same year. Their rivalry began right away when Draco insulted Ron and his family — the reason Harry refused to shake Draco’s hand.
Jealousy was a major factor in Draco’s dislike of Harry because he envied Harry’s skills, popularity, supportive friends and family.
But in reality, the on-screen rivals are actually close and share a brotherly bond. Even Felton (who portrayed Draco) said that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy represent different sides of the same coin.
It’s because Harry embodies light qualities such as love and compassion, while Draco represents the struggle to express those qualities due to his upbringing. This shows the moral duality of the characters.
Tom Felton Said Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy are the Same Sides of the Same Coin
In an interview on CBS Mornings, Tom Felton discussed his great friendship with Daniel Radcliffe, his former Harry Potter costar. When asked, “You say that Draco and Harry are the same sides of the same coin.” Felton said of Radcliffe’s character Harry:
“They could be. I mean we’ve had this chat. But essentially, you have, you know, on eboy who has no parents, no money, no status, but he has everything that is good with the world. He has love, compassion and friends and truth and honesty.”
He then described his own character — Draco Malfoy:
“And the other side is the slightly darker one, [with] very powerful parents, lots of money, big house, all the toys, but also a bully and someone that can’t find a way of expressing his light, because he hasn’t been shown any his entire life. These are broad sweeps of the brush, but I think it’s fairly true.”
In the above statements, Felton highlighted some similarities between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. Despite having contrasting circumstances, they represent different facets of human nature.
Tom Felton Says Daniel Radcliffe is Like a “brother” to Him
Despite the ongoing rivalry between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, Tom Felton considers Radcliffe a “brother.” Felton praised Radcliffe for leading the cast enthusiastically and professionally and said, “He was always up for bringing as much as he can to the table.”
“I love the man dearly,” said Felton, promoting his newly released memoir Beyond the Wand. “I don’t see him as much as I’d like to — that’s the same for all of us, really. But I consider him a brother, definitely. Huge amounts of respect for him.”
The actor said that Radcliffe “brings a certain energy to any room that he’s in.”
