Harry Potter Star Was 'Horrified' With Director's Initial Idea of His Character
While Harry Potter directors had almost complete reign over their movies, some of the actors were not afraid to stand up against misinterpretation of their characters.
Harry Potter has introduced many evil and despicable characters to the world, but most of them are rather complex and can't be simply put on a black-and-white scale.
Even Lord Voldemort, the main antagonist and psychotic terrorist, had past traumas and even semi-objective reasons that led him to become the monster we know.
This can, of course, be also said about Lucius Malfoy, the head of one of the most influential and wealthy magical clans.
Lucius was a Death Eater (and a pathetic one at that), a corrupt politician, and an arrogant bastard altogether — but at the same time, he was a caring father and a good husband who'd do anything for his family.
Well, not anything. There were certain things Lucius Malfoy wouldn't have done even for Draco and Narcissa, and the actor who played him, Jason Isaacs, was "horrified" at the first interpretation of the wizard's appearance.
Apparently, Chris Columbus completely misunderstood the character, and Isaacs had to speak up against it.
"I went to the set, and they had this idea of me wearing a pinstripe suit, short black-and-white hair… I was slightly horrified. He was a racist, a eugenicist. There's no way he would cut his hair like a Muggle, or dress like a Muggle," shared the actor.
Jason fought to change the appearance of the movie Lucius Malfoy, but in the end, he won.
The actor convinced Chris Columbus that Malfoy Sr. would only wear a robe and not a suit, and that he wouldn't mangle his hair by cutting them short and coloring them black-and-white — instead, he'd have them long and full-blonde.
The iconic wand in the cane that Lucius wields in the movies was also Jason's idea.
"I asked for a walking stick, which Chris Columbus first thought was because I had something wrong with my leg. I explained I wanted it as an affectation so I can pull my wand out [of the cane].
After a second's thought, he said, 'You know what, I think the toy guys are going to love you.' He was completely right," laughs Isaacs.
Even the distinct accent of Malfoy Sr. was developed by Jason Isaacs himself — and this, too, he had to defend before the filmmaker.
Columbus didn't like the actor's vision of the voice that dripped with "complete disdain and contempt for anybody and everything" whatsoever, but Daniel Radcliffe stepped in and convinced the director.
So yeah, Lucius Malfoy would've been very, very different from the man we're used to if not for Jason Isaacs.
Fortunately, the actor had utmost respect toward the source material, a great vision of his character, and the mental force to fight for his ideas — otherwise, we would've got a despicably Muggle-looking Malfoy Sr.
Source: Showbiz Cheatsheet