Daniel Radcliffe 

Daniel Radcliffe

Radcliffe at the U.K. premiere of December Boys, September 2007
Born Daniel Jacob Radcliffe
23 July 1989 (1989-07-23) (age 19)
London, England
Years active 1999–present

Daniel Jacob Radcliffe12 (born 23 July 1989)3 is an English film, television and stage actor. He is best known for playing Harry Potter in each of the first five films based on the best-selling Harry Potter book series, and will also appear in the final two films of the series.4

Radcliffe has also made appearances in stage productions and a number of TV shows and films, including the ITV film My Boy Jack and the stage show Equus, which achieved much critical acclaim. He is worth roughly £20 million, mainly earned from the Harry Potter franchise.5

Contents

Biography

Early life

Radcliffe was born in Queen Charlotte's Hospital, West London, England,6 the only child of Alan Radcliffe, a literary agent, and Marcia Gresham (née Marcia Gresham Jacobson),78 a casting agent who was involved in several films for the BBC, including The Inspector Lynley Mysteries and, most recently, Walk Away And I Stumble. Radcliffe's mother is Jewish and grew up in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex;89 his father grew up in Northern Ireland.10 Radcliffe first expressed a desire to act at the age of five.11 In December 1999, he made his acting debut in the BBC's televised two-part version of the Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield, portraying the title character as a young boy.12

Career

Radcliffe as Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Radcliffe was asked to audition for the role of Harry Potter in 2000 by producer David Heyman, while in attendance at a play named Stones in His Pockets in London.1314 In August of that year, after several auditions, he was selected to play the role in the big-budget adaptation of the award-winning book series by J.K. Rowling. Rowling herself also approved of this selection: "Having seen Dan Radcliffe's screen test I don't think Chris Columbus could have found a better Harry".15 Radcliffe made his film debut in 2001 with a supporting role alongside Pierce Brosnan in The Tailor of Panama, and the first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (United States title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) was released later that year.

Radcliffe has also starred in the four subsequent Harry Potter film adaptations: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007). He has signed on for the sixth and seventh films; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, scheduled to start filming in September 2007 and originally set for release on 11 November 2008 though delayed until 17 July 2009, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I and II, expected in 2010 and 2011. The films continue to produce high box office results worldwide.

In 2002, Radcliffe appeared as a guest in the West End production The Play What I Wrote directed by Kenneth Branagh (who appeared with Radcliffe in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets).12 In 2006, he began to make the transition from child to adult actor, appearing in the television series Extras as a parody of himself, as well as filming the independent Australian drama December Boys. The film, which was filmed in six weeks16 was released in North America by Warner Bros. on 14 September 2007. Radcliffe worked with a language coach for six months to perfect an Australian accent.16 He took the role because he wanted to appear in a film in which he played a supporting role rather than the central character.17 Next, Radcliffe opened on 27 February 2007 in a revival of Peter Shaffer's play Equus as Alan Strang, a stable boy who has an obsession with horses. The role generated significant pre-opening media interest and advance sales topped two million pounds, as Radcliffe appeared nude in one scene in the play.18 Radcliffe's performance received positive reviews,19 as critics were impressed by the nuance and depth of his against-type role.20 Radcliffe's last performance in Equus took place on 9 June 2007. The production has transferred to Broadway in New York City opening on September 25, 2008, and Radcliffe is reprising the role of Alan Strang along with Richard Griffiths, who was in the Equus production in London and plays Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter series;2122 he has stated that he is nervous about repeating the role on Broadway because he considers American audiences more discerning than those in London.23

During the summer of 2007, he filmed the ITV drama My Boy Jack, based upon Rudyard Kipling's poem, which aired in the UK on Remembrance Day 2007 and premiered in the United States on April 20, 2008.1624 In the film, Radcliffe played Jack Kipling, a World War I-era soldier and the son of author Rudyard Kipling.2526 About the role, he stated:27

For many people my age, the First World War is just a topic in a history book. But I've always been fascinated by the subject and think it's as relevant today as it ever was.

At the age of sixteen, Radcliffe became the youngest non-royal ever to have an individual portrait in Britain's National Portrait Gallery. On 13 April 2006, his portrait, drawn by Stuart Pearson Wright, was unveiled as part of a new exhibition opening at London's Royal National Theatre, then moved to the National Portrait Gallery where it resides.28 Radcliffe was fourteen at the time of the portrait's creation.

On 9 July 2007, Radcliffe and fellow Harry Potter cast members Rupert Grint and Emma Watson left imprints of their hands, feet and wands in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.29

It was announced in the New York Times on 28 December 2007, that Radcliffe will portray deceased photojournalist Dan Eldon in an upcoming biopic entitled Journey.30 Eldon's mother, Kathy, personally chose Radcliffe over other actors such as Heath Ledger, Ryan Phillippe and Joaquin Phoenix, noting Radcliffe's "puckishness, sense of humour and energy" as similar to her son's.31

Personal life

Radcliffe at the 2008 BAFTA Awards

Radcliffe previously attended the Sussex House School, an all-boys school,32 and for his AS levels at City of London School.16 He achieved A grades in the three AS-levels he sat in 2006, but then decided to take a break from education.33

Radcliffe has said that he is "very proud of being Jewish" but is not religious.163412 He plays bass guitar (taught by Gary Oldman) and is a fan of punk rock music; he admires a diverse lineup of bands, from Sex Pistols to Arctic Monkeys and more recently Hard-Fi,35 Jack Penate and Kate Nash36. His favourite band is The Hold Steady.37 He is also a fan of Fulham Football Club. While on set, to keep busy, he enjoys playing table tennis and video games with his fellow cast members. He is close friends with Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton and Gary Oldman.

Radcliffe appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List in 2006, which estimated his personal fortune to be GB£14 million, making him one of the richest young people in the United Kingdom.38 He made another appearance on the British young people's rich list in 2007, which placed him as the thirty-third richest young person in Britain with an estimated wealth of £17 million.39 He is reported to have earned approximately £250,000 for the first Potter film, around £5.6 million for the fourth film, and more than £8 million for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Despite his wealth, Radcliffe has said he does not have expensive tastes. Radcliffe has said that his main expense is books, as he "read[s] a lot".40 Radcliffe has been a supporter of various charities, including Demelza House Children's Hospice in Sittingbourne, Kent, to which he has requested fans make donations in lieu of birthday presents. In February 2005, Radcliffe put a "Hogwarts Crew" T-shirt which he autographed up for auction to help raise money for the Tsunami victims in 2005. His T-shirt was part of the Tsunami Celebrity Clothes Auction which raised money for the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Organization. He wore the t-shirt during the making of the film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. These T-shirts were only issued to members of the cast and crew. His shirt raised £520 or $811.80. He has become a keen follower of cricket41 and attended the first England v India test match on his 18th birthday. He queued up for the autographs of Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and English opening batsman Andrew Strauss at the end of the final day's play.42 Regarding this, he stated:43

I was telling people in a recent interview that I had a dream that Andrew Strauss was chasing me with a cricket bat. It was during the West Indies series when Andrew wasn’t doing too well and an Australian who was listening in piped up and said, "I wouldn’t worry about Strauss, if he had a swing at you at the moment he’d probably miss".

Regarding the milestone of turning 18, Radcliffe stated:44

I don't plan to be one of those people who, as soon as they turn 18, suddenly buy themselves a massive sports car collection or something similar. I don't think I'll be particularly extravagant. The things I like buying are things that cost about 10 pounds -- books, CDs and DVDs.

Radcliffe has stated that he suffers from a mild form of the neurological disorder dyspraxia 45

Stage and screen credits

Films

Year Title Role Notes
2001 The Tailor of Panama Mark Pendel Supporting role
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Harry Potter U.S. title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2005 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
December Boys Maps
2009 Journey Dan Eldon A biopic based on the life of photojournalist Dan Eldon
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter awaiting release
2010 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I pre-production
2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II pre-production

Television

Stage

Awards

Nominations

2008

2006

2005

2003

2002

Wins

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

Further reading

See also

References

  1. ^ "Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (actor bio)". HarryPotter.Warnerbros. Retrieved on 2007-06-05.
  2. ^ Daniel Radcliffe, or Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (British actor) - Britannica Online Encyclopedia
  3. ^ DanRadcliffe.com: Daniel Radcliffe Biography
  4. ^ Report: Daniel Radcliffe signed for final two 'Potter' films HPANA. Retrieved on 2 March 2007.
  5. ^ Griffiths, Peter (2007-07-23), Life's magic as Daniel Radcliffe turns 18, Reuters, http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSL2368089020070723, retrieved on 29 October 2008 
  6. ^ DanRadcliffe.com: Daniel Radcliffe Biography
  7. ^ "Top of the form", The Jewish Chronicle (1968-12-20), pp. 26. Retrieved on 12 January 2007. 
  8. ^ a b Kasriel, Alex; Emily Rhodes (2006-12-22). "A nice Jewish wizard: Harry Potter is Jewish — and his grandmother is very proud of him", The Jewish Chronicle, pp. 2. 
  9. ^ Bloom, Nate. "Young and Rich (bottom of page)", InterfaithFamily.com. Retrieved on 24 July 2007. 
  10. ^ Horn, Steve (2004-02-13). "On the Set of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", RupertGrint.net/IGN Films. Retrieved on 5 June 2007. 
  11. ^ "Faces of the week: DANIEL RADCLIFFE", BBC News (2007-03-02). Retrieved on 1 September 2007. 
  12. ^ a b c Roberts, Sheila (2007-09-10). "Daniel Radcliffe Interview, December Boys", Movies Online. Retrieved on 10 September 2007. 
  13. ^ McLean, Craig (2007-07-15). "Hobnobs & broomsticks", Sunday Herald. Retrieved on 15 July 2007. 
  14. ^ Koltnow, Barry (2007-07-08). "One enchanted night at theater, Radcliffe became Harry Potter", East Valley Tribune. Retrieved on 15 July 2007. 
  15. ^ Sussman, Paul (2000-08-23). "British child actor 'a splendid Harry Potter'". CNN.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-20.
  16. ^ a b c d e Reuven, Shmuel (2007-09-13). "Daniel Radcliffe is one of the December Boys", JewReview.net. Retrieved on 13 September 2007. 
  17. ^ "Daniel Radcliffe December Boys Interview", STV.TV (2007). Retrieved on 8 October 2007. 
  18. ^ "Naked stage role for Potter star", BBC News (2006-07-28). Retrieved on 5 June 2007. 
  19. ^ "RADCLIFFE'S WOMEN NERVES", Contact Music (2007-06-05). Retrieved on 5 June 2007. 
  20. ^ Burchell, Kenzie (2007-02-28). "Moving the Magic", MSNBC.com. Retrieved on 5 June 2007. 
  21. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer (2007-09-04). "Radcliffe To Bare All On Broadway As ‘Equus’ Eyes Late ‘08 Opening", MTV Movies Blog. Retrieved on 5 September 2007. 
  22. ^ Nathan, John (2007-06-09). "London Equus — Starring Radcliffe and Griffiths — Closes 9 June", Playbill. Retrieved on 9 June 2007. 
  23. ^ Nichols, Michelle (2007-09-05). "Radcliffe nervous about baring all on Broadway", Reuters. Retrieved on 6 September 2007. 
  24. ^ "100 best autumn arts events", The Sunday Times (2007-09-02). Retrieved on 1 September 2007. 
  25. ^ "Radcliffe to star in new ITV drama", MuggleNet. Retrieved on 5 June 2007. 
  26. ^ "Sexy Samantha will play Harry Potter's mum", Now (2007-06-05). Retrieved on 5 June 2007. 
  27. ^ http://www.danradcliffe.us/galleries/MyBoyJack/danradmbj081207.jpg, Daniel Radcliffe.com, retrieved 2007-08-15
  28. ^ "Daniel Radcliffe drawing acquired by National Portrait Gallery", National Portrait Gallery (2006-04-11). Retrieved on 5 June 2007. 
  29. ^ "Hollywood Blvd Celebrates Potter's 'Wands Of Fame'", CBS2.com (2007-07-09). Retrieved on 10 July 2007. 
  30. ^ Photographs, Art and Lessons, Taken From a Life Cut Short - New York Times
  31. ^ Wizard to play the magician of Somalia | UK news | The Observer
  32. ^ "SUSSEX HOUSE SCHOOL". Isbi Schools. Retrieved on 2007-06-05.
  33. ^ "Dan & Emma ace exams", Hpana (2006-08-24). Retrieved on 5 June 2007. 
  34. ^ Bloom, Nate. "Young and Rich (bottom of page)", InterfaithFamily.com. Retrieved on 24 July 2007. "Radcliffe says he is not religious at all...and while he may not be religious, it appears that he had the procedure that almost all Jewish boys have when they are eight days old." 
  35. ^ Hard-Fi on Popworld again video interview with Simon Amstell
  36. ^ Radcliffe, Daniel. "Daniel Radcliffe's Playlist (From iTunes)", HarryPotterTrio.com. Retrieved on 5 June 2007. 
  37. ^ "Harry Potter reveals his favourite band", NME (2007-07-20). Retrieved on 20 July 2007. 
  38. ^ "Daniel Radcliffe", TimesOnline. Retrieved on 5 June 2007. 
  39. ^ "14urllink=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/richlist/person/0,,48353,00.html Young People's Rich List: Daniel Radcliffe", Times Online. Retrieved on 5 June 2007. 
  40. ^ Stead, Andrew (2005-11-23). "Daniel Radcliffe richest UK teen, £23.5 million in the bank, more to come", ABC Money.uk. Retrieved on 16 July 2007. 
  41. ^ Pidd, Helen (2007-09-07). "'If the script says have sex, I have sex'", Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved on 7 September 2007. 
  42. ^ The Times of India - Quidditch's out, cricket is in, retrieved 2007-07-27
  43. ^ http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/25/stories/2007072551451800.htm, The Hindu - Tendulkar casts a spell on Radcliffe, retrieved 2007-07-25
  44. ^ http://omg.yahoo.com/lifes-magic-as-daniel-radcliffe-turns-18/news/1152 Reuters, retrieved 2007-07-23
  45. ^ http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b24227_daniel_radcliffes_dyspraxia_diagnosis.html Daniel Radcliffe's Dyspraxia Diagnosis

External links

v • d • e
The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
Characters
Universe
Related
Spin-off canon
Other games
Persondata
NAME Radcliffe, Daniel Jacob
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION British actor
DATE OF BIRTH 23 July 1989
PLACE OF BIRTH London, England
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH