‘Harry Potter’ Star Tom Felton Names His Favorite Franchise Director

‘I think he’s a genius at what he does,’ he says of David Yates.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Tami Katzoff

Tom Felton

Photo: MTV News

From “Terminator” to “Twilight,” any movie franchise is going to see some turnover in the director’s chair, and you can’t expect these franchises’ stars not to play favorites among these helmers. Both Kristen Stewart and Kellan Lutz, for example, have picked Chris Weitz as their top “Twilight” director.

By the time it wraps up in 2011, the “Harry Potter” series will have seen four directors helm its eight films. Tom Felton, who plays baddie Draco Malfoy, said his favorite is David Yates, the man who’s been in charge since 2007’s “Order of the Phoenix” and who will bring the franchise to a close with the two-part “Deathly Hallows” finale.

“David Yates, who we’ve been working with for the last few years, he’s been by far my personal favorite,” Felton told MTV News. “I get on with him like a house on fire. I think he’s a genius at what he does.”

That’s not to say the British actor doesn’t have fond memories of earlier directors. Felton praised both Chris Columbus, who helmed the first two flicks, and “Prisoner of Azkaban” director Alfonso Cuarón.

“Chris Columbus was a fantastically fun guy to work with, especially with kids because we didn’t know what we were doing and he was a brilliant person to try to get us into it and for it to remain fun, which is essential,” Felton said.

He added, “Alfonso obviously had a very artistic view of it and a lot of fun with him.”

Yet it was working with Yates, and Felton’s expanded “Half-Blood Prince” role, that stands out as the actor’s most satisfying creative experience thus far. And it made him think maybe he’s got a future on-camera once the franchise wraps up.

” ‘Half-Blood Prince,’ I felt very … not lacking confidence, but I wasn’t sure before starting that I’d be up for the job,” he confessed. “And then I cemented a newfound confidence in filmmaking. And I’d like to take that on to future roles and other challenging projects.”

Check out everything we’ve got on “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”

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