Harry Potter Star Tom Felton Had to Ban His Mom From Googling Him
One of the more interesting things about the internet is that you can find almost anything with a simple Google search, but that can be something of a double-edged sword — particularly for high profile figures. It's for that reason that Harry Potter star Tom Felton has put a "no Googling" rule in place for his mother, banning her from looking him up online. In a recent interview with Square Mile (via ScreenRant), Felton explained that while there wasn't really social media when they made the first Harry Potter films, things are very different now.
"It can really affect you. I try to do as best as I can, really. We don't have too many examples — bearing in mind that when we did it, 20 years ago, obviously there was no social media," Felton said. "There wasn't anything at all. To suddenly be in this world now where you can type in God knows what… I banned my mum from Googling me."
That isn't to say that Felton is against social media or the impactful reach of the internet. The Draco Malfoy actor has a substantial Instagram following of over 11 million and a TikTok following of more than nine million and Felton himself has even acknowledged the recent #DracoTok trend on the video platform, sharing his own video with the hashtag. But there is something to be said for the downsides of the internet and social media, and it certainly sounds like it's that aspect of things that he wants to keep his mother from associating him with via Google search., though it's unclear how effective such a rule is in practice, given the prevalence of social media in day to day life.
As for a time when there wasn't social media, Felton will join his fellow Harry Potter castmates Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson as well as filmmaker Chris Columbus for Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, a retrospective special celebrating the anniversary of the first film in the Harry Potter franchise. The special will arrive on HBO Max on New Year's Day, January 1, 2022 and will "honor the magic behind the making of the films and the beautiful family created at Warner Bros. Studios London two decades ago."
What do you think about Felton's rule banning his mom from Googling him? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!