The Harry Potter movies are full of memorable moments, one of which was a certain scene that took place in the 2011 flick, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. In an iconic awkward scene, we saw the big bad villain of the franchise Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), hug Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) in the film as he tried to coax the young wizard to join his forces before the Battle of Hogwarts kicked off.
Over the years, many fans have wondered why the fantasy movie‘s crew would include such a strange moment in the beloved franchise’s final film. The Dark Lord isn’t known for his love of physical contact, and let’s be honest, his Draco embrace was a bit on the creepy side. Well, it turns out that the mentioned hug was never planned at all. During an appearance at Dragon Con in 2011, Felton revealed that Fiennes improvised the scene.
“That wasn’t in the script,” the actor explained. “We did that take like 25 times. He only hugged me once. It was a one-off thing that he just threw at me. Honestly, I was like, ‘What the hell is he doing? Why is he hugging me in this weird fashion?’ So, it was very strange. It was a surprise to me. I was baffled. I’m even more baffled that that was the take they used.”
Felton went on to discuss how the awkward hug was received differently all around the world when the Deathly Hallows Part 2 hit the big screen.
“In England, it’s considered a very chilling moment, so the whole audience kind of goes dead quiet,” he said. “Nobody really knows what to say or do. Over here [in the U.S.], it’s hilarious. Literally, the audience burst into laughter, which is great.”
Whether you’re a fan of Voldemort’s hug or not, you can’t deny that the awkward moment did wonders for memes in the fandom. Similarly, if anyone can pull off a creepy hug, it is Ralph Fiennes.
While Fiennes may have retired his Voldemort cape, fans can next see the star in the horror movie, The Menu – which is scheduled to release on November 18, 2022.