Hollywood Child Stars

Daniel Radcliffe: A Star is Born

The son of a literary agent and a casting director, Daniel Radcliffe, born on July 23, 1989 in Hammersmith, West London, was destined to play the title role of J.K. Rowling’s renowned book series, Harry Potter. At the age of five, young Daniel expressed a strong interest in the dramatic arts. Given his mother’s line of work, it was only natural that he would soon begin auditioning for film roles.

Before Harry
Unlike his young co-stars Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, Harry Potter was not Daniel Radcliffe’s introduction to the world of professional film. At the age of ten, Daniel played a young David Copperfield in BBC’s rendition of the novel, and in 2001 (the same year the first Harry Potter film debuted), he worked with Pierce Brosnan in the film ‘The Tailor of Panama’.

Becoming Harry
Was it chance or fate that allowed the world to get to know Daniel Radcliffe in the guise of Harry Potter? Although we may not have an absolute answer to that question, we do have some details regarding how it all happened. Always looking for fresh talent, producer David Heyman spotted Daniel at a London play production, and not wanting to miss the opportunity, asked him to audition for the part of Harry in the first installment of the film series, ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’. After he was cast in the role, author J.K. Rowling expressed her approval of the selection, saying he would make the perfect Harry. Apparently, audiences agreed.

Over the course of the seven subsequent films in the series, Daniel Radcliffe would make over 70 million dollars, making him wealthier than most people in the UK, royalty included.

Giving Back
Many stars make charitable donations; after all, they have to find some way to spend their mountains of money, but for Daniel, it is personal. The actor has been very open about the fact that he has a mild form of dyspraxia, a motor control disorder. Perhaps this is the reason he feels compelled to support organizations such as Demelza House Children’s Hospice; he has recently requested that his fans send donations to this organization in lieu of birthday gifts. Daniel is also active in advocating for gay rights and has become a spokesperson for The Trevor Project, an organization that works to prevent gay teen suicide. He was awarded the organization’s “Hero Award” in 2011 for his contributions.

Life after Harry Potter
When asked how he plans to come down from the nearly decade-long high that was the Harry Potter experience, Daniel Radcliffe replied that he would like to continue pursuing his passion as an actor. Recently, he has demonstrated his determination to challenge his own limits and abilities by taking on a role in the Broadway production ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’, a part that requires something the star has no natural talent in whatsoever—dancing.

Although Daniel is resigned to the fact that he will likely never again enjoy the fame that came with the mega-hit ‘Harry Potter’ series, it is clear that he, along with his Hogwart’s costars Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, has certainly made an indelible mark on the world of film, and is not likely to be forgotten anytime soon.