Tom Felton is to reprise his role as the villainous Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter stage show on Broadway.

It marks the first time that a star of the Harry Potter movies has joined the spin-off stage production, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

The hit play – which serves as an epilogue to the famous wizard’s story, following on from the end of the book series – opened in London’s West End in 2016 before transferring to New York two years later.

Felton said: “It’s surreal to be stepping back into his shoes – and of course his iconic platinum blond hair – and I am thrilled to be able to see his story through and to share it with the greatest fan community in the world.”

He will play the role at New York’s Lyric Theatre for 19 weeks from 11 November.

The English actor featured opposite Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson on screen in the film franchise from 2001 to 2011.

Now 37, he will become the first member of the cast to join the stage show, which takes place 19 years after the end of the original story, with Harry, Ron and Hermione, as well as Draco, all sending their own children to Hogwarts.

“Being a part of the Harry Potter films has been one of the greatest honours of my life,” Felton said in a statement.

“Joining this production will be a full-circle moment for me, because when I begin performances in Cursed Child this fall, I’ll also be the exact age Draco is in the play.”

He added: “I look forward to joining this incredible company and being a part of the Broadway community.”

He also posted a teaser video on Instagram, in which he dons Draco’s blonde wig and black robes and reaches for his wooden wand before menacingly asking: “Scared, Potter?” A caption then reads: “Draco is back.”

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the highest-grossing non-musical play in Broadway history, and has sold more than 10 million tickets worldwide since its premiere in London in 2016.

It currently has productions running in London, New York, Hamburg and Tokyo.

The producers of Broadway production, Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender, said in a joint statement they could not wait to see Felton perform “once again with the same depth, gravity, and humanity he has always brought to Draco”.

“It’s not lost on us that this is a cultural moment charged with nostalgia, evolution, and emotion,” they added.

“Tom’s return to Hogwarts bridges generations of fans and breathes new life into a beloved story. We’re beyond thrilled to welcome Tom back ‘home’ but also into a new family: our Broadway company.”

Since his last outing as Draco, Felton featured in the 2011 sci-fi movie Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and made his West End theatre debut in the 2022 play, 2:22 A Ghost Story.

This came shortly after he had attended the filming of the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts feature alongside Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint.

The same year, he published a memoir of his time as a young actor in the franchise entitled Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard.

Tickets for his latest venture will go on general sale on 12 June, with a presale starting two days earlier.

Last week, HBO has announced the young actors who will play the lead trio in its TV series adaption of JK Rowling’s fantasy book series.

(BBC News)

Disney says it is laying off several hundred more people around the world, with workers in its film, television and finance departments impacted.

The entertainment giant has been under pressure as viewers move away from cable TV subscriptions in favour of streaming platforms.

“As our industry transforms at a rapid pace, we continue to evaluate ways to efficiently manage our businesses while fuelling the state-of-the-art creativity and innovation that consumers value and expect from Disney,” a spokesperson told the BBC.

The latest job cuts follow major layoffs announced in 2023, when around 7,000 workers were let go as part of a drive by chief executive Bob Iger to save $5.5bn (£4.1bn).

The cuts will impact multiple teams including marketing departments for its film and television units.

Workers in Disney’s casting and development and corporate finance departments will also be affected.

“We have been surgical in our approach to minimise the number of impacted employees,” said a spokesperson. The company also said that no teams will be closed down entirely.

The California-based firm employs 233,000 workers, with just over 60,000 of those based outside the US.

Disney owns a host of companies across the entertainment industry including Marvel, Hulu and ESPN.

The firm reported stronger than expected earnings in May, with overall revenue of $23.6bn for the first three months of the year. That was a 7% increase from the same period in 2024.

It said the growth was fuelled by new subscribers to its Disney+ streaming service.

The company has released a number of new films this year including Captain America: Brave New World and Snow White.

The live action remake of the iconic Snow White animated film did not perform as well as expected at cinemas, after facing a number of negative reviews.

But Disney’s latest release, Lilo & Stitch, broke box office records in the US for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

The animated film has seen global ticket sales of more than $610m since its release in May, according to industry data firm Box Office Mojo.

(BBC News)

Anudi Gunasekara, Miss Sri Lanka at the 72nd Miss World pageant, has returned to Sri Lanka following the conclusion of the pageantheld in Hyderabad, Telangana, India on May 31.

The global event, which featured contestants from 108 countries, saw Miss Thailand being crowned as Miss World 2025.

Although Anudi delivered remarkable performances throughout the competition, becoming the first Sri Lankan in history to reach the final rounds in the Head-to-Head and Multimedia categories, she did not advance into the final 40 contestants.

Thanking for her warm welcome in Sri Lanka and for the love and support from Sri Lankans throughout the competition, she pointed out that participating in the Miss World pageant was a once in a lifetime experience.

She also told reporters that she was not expecting to take part in any other pageants.

“I do not intend to take part in any other pageants. My only lifetime desire was to join the Miss world pageant. I achieved that feat. So, I do not think I need to take part in any other pageants,” she said.