Harry Potter Actors and Actresses

Is Daniel Radcliffe embarrassed by Harry Potter? Not really

Among the Harry Potter actors, Daniel Radcliffe, who portrayed the main character, seems to be the most honest when pondering about the years playing The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Quite often his interviews displease the franchise’s fans, due to statements that, when taken out of context, give the impression that the actor is ungrateful to the Wizarding World. But that’s not true

In the April edition of the British magazine Empire, which covers cinema and TV, Daniel reunited with Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins in The Lord of The Rings, to discuss their careers.

When asked about his connection to Harry Potter, Radcliffe affirmed that he is grateful for the opportunity he had, not only professionally, but also for growing up beside stars who shaped his own personality.

At the end of his answer, however, he said he has felt embarrassed by some of his actings, which he considers natural, considering he was only 11 years old when he started filming The Philosopher’s Stone.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the experience. It showed me what I want to do with the rest of my life. To find out early on what you love is really lucky. I’m intensely embarrassed by some of my actions, obviously [laughs], but it’s like asking ‘How do you feel about your teenage years?’ There’s so much in there that it’s almost impossible to single out one feeling”.

In this context, it is perceptible the actor is not embarrassed by his work in Harry Potter, he just feels uncomfortable when watching some scenes that, nowadays, 20 years later, he would do differently.

In interviews he gave in early 2020, the actor deeply discussed his artistic aspirations, such as portraying David Bowie, and how he got over the period he suffered from alcoholism.

Radcliffe in Miracle Workers, comedy series where he portrays an angel who tries to convince God to not destroy the Earth
Radcliffe in Miracle Workers, comedy series where he portrays an angel who tries to convince God to not destroy the Earth (Photo: Warner Channel/Disclosure)

Daniel Radcliffe’s childhood

In the same conversation with the actor from The Lord of The Rings, Daniel Radcliffe remembered how his teenage years were affected by the job he got when he was still a pre-teen.

He says that, at 11, he was not aware that he would be part of a franchise that would hit the proportions of Harry Potter, but even when he realized it, his parents asked him every year if he felt comfortable carrying it on, and the answer was yes.

“I’m not saying by any stretch that my childhood was normal. I was an upper-middle-class English kid going to a school full of other upper-middle-class English kids, and being on a set full of people from entirely different backgrounds gave me a much broader view of the world”, he said.

“We were also incredibly insulated by how much we worked. There was very little time to feel the impact of becoming famous. Though there would be gaps in-between where I’d maybe go back to school for a term and I hated it and I couldn’t wait to go back to set”.

Daniel Radcliffe besides Elijah Wood
Daniel Radcliffe besides Elijah Wood on the cover of Empire Magazine (Photo: Empire/Reproduction)

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This post is also available in: Portuguese (Brazil)