It’s been decades since Daniel Radcliffe made his big-screen debut as Harry Potter. The Harry Potter film series was like a magic spell for Radcliffe’s acting career. As the franchise evolved, his performances matured — it took on darker themes and delivered some really poignant performances.
Though Radcliffe had his fair share of other movie roles, like Miles Cassonva in Guns Akimbo or Nate Foster in Imperium — he’ll always be remembered as the one and only Harry Potter. No doubt, Daniel Radcliffe’s life changed after his Harry Potter journey began. But imagine what if he’d said no to Hogwarts?
There was actually a moment when he nearly ditched the whole franchise, and it was for a pretty silly reason. His parents weren’t too keen on him taking the role because it would have meant him living for a long time in Hollywood.
Radcliffe’s Parents Rejected Harry Potter Audition Over LA Commitment
The Harry Potter star admitted his parents, Alan and Marcia, actually turned down the chance for him to audition for the iconic role of the boy wizard, Harry Potter, from J.K. Rowling’s books. The reason was if Radcliffe got the part, he’d have to commit to making six films (which were all) to be shot in Los Angeles.
The actor said the director approached him first after seeing him perform David Copperfield in the BBC series of the same name. He told The Hollywood Reporter:
“Chris Columbus had seen David Copperfield and said, “I want to audition this boy.” They went to my parents, and, at the time, the deal was to sign on for — I think — six films, all to be done in L.A., and my mum and dad simply said, “That’s too much disruption to his life. That’s not gonna happen.”
Radcliffe continued:
“I didn’t know any of that had gone on. And then, maybe three, four months down the line, the deal had changed, and it was gonna be to shoot two films, and they’d both be done in England, and so they said, “Okay, we’ll let him audition.”
Daniel Radcliffe asserted that later, his parents gave the green light after producers agreed to cut down the number of films and shoot them in England. And the rest is history. The young star soared to become a multi-millionaire and one of the most recognizable faces on the planet, all thanks to the success of those seven Potter films.
Daniel Radcliffe, Who Became Famous at 11, Describes Celebrity Status as “Vile” and “Ghastly”
In a candid interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Radcliffe confessed that he hasn’t enjoyed becoming a celebrity, describing it as “vile” and “ghastly.”
“There are, obviously, upsides to it, but I’d say that the upsides, for me, are the upsides that come from my job rather than from the celebrity aspect, I mean, celebrity is horrible — that’s the truth, is that it’s a ghastly, vile thing.”
He doesn’t even expect his future kids to play James Sirius, Lily Luna, or Albus Severus on the big screen. Though the Harry Potter star himself was a worldwide sensation by age 11, the now 34-year-old actor has made it clear that he does not want the star life for his future children.
During an interview with fellow former child star Evan Rachel Wood on Newsweek, Radcliffe said he wants his children to avoid fame “at all costs.” He said he is “still acting so clearly” and “enjoyed it”. But still, he “wouldn’t want fame” for his kids. However, he’s definitely up for letting them experience the magic of filmmaking.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Newsweek
