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Harry Potter: Ralph Fiennes improvised Voldemort moment in Deathly Hallows that divided fan reaction

Terrifying or hilarious? You be the judge

Jacob Stolworthy
Friday 16 July 2021 10:16 BST
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 trailer

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It’s been 10 years since the final Harry Potter film was released.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 was released in July 2011, bringing the franchise to an end after eight outings and more than $7bn (£5.5bn) at the global box office.

The final film, which was shot back-to-back with the previous, depicted the Battle of Hogwarts, which led to the death of many characters.

However, the film’s most disturbing moment was actually improvised by Ralph Fiennes, who played the villainous Voldemort.

It occurs during a scene with Slytherin student Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) in which Voldemort attempts to convince him to join the Death Eaters.

During their interaction, Voldemort awkwardly embraces Malfoy – something Fiennes only did once in the 25 takes director David Yates shot.

During an appearance at convention Dragon Con in 2011, Felton himself revealed that reactions to the moment were completely different in the US than they were in the UK.

Improvised ‘Harry Potter’ moment divided reaction in UK and US
Improvised ‘Harry Potter’ moment divided reaction in UK and US (Warner Bros Pictures)

British cinemagoers, just like Felton, found the moment to be creepy, while American audiences found it hilarious.

Felton’s awkward response is heightened by the knowledge that he wasn’t expecting Fiennes to embrace him.

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