The Harry Potter film franchise was a major contributor to the rapid ascent of Daniel Radcliffe‘s acting career. Millions of kids worldwide got their start in the theater thanks to the Harry Potter books and movies, making Radcliffe one of the most well-known actors in the world.
Although Radcliffe’s career began with an iconic role, he has since starred in more creative material like Horns, Jungle, and Swiss Army Man. So, while he will always be grateful for his breakthrough role as Harry Potter, the actor is aware of the challenges that come with such a high-profile debut.
Daniel Radcliffe wants an acting career with a good sense of variety
Daniel Radcliffe has gone on to have a fascinating career of the child stars from the Harry Potter movies. However, few of the films he has featured in since have been huge commercial successes compared to the phenomena of Harry Potter. Despite this, the actor just wants a career that offers him plenty of opportunities to try new things.
“Early on I wanted to, you know, try and get a reputation for being someone who wanted to try lots of different stuff,” he explained in an interview with GQ. “Everything I do is — I want it to be different from the last thing I’ve done, and everything else.”
This outlook is understandable, given that Radcliffe spent the first decade of his acting career working exclusively in one franchise. It wasn’t until the Harry Potter films concluded that he was truly free to pursue other projects, although he managed to get in a few — like the 2007 TV movie My Boy Jack — amid the hectic schedule he kept while working on the franchise.
Radcliffe says that not everything he does is an attempt to distance himself from ‘Harry Potter’
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Since Harry Potter ended, Daniel Radcliffe’s career has been one fascinating choice after another. However, in his interview with GQ, the actor explained that his recent career choices are not intended as any sort of commentary on the Harry Potter movies themselves, but instead moves to be known as a dynamic actor, not just a specific character. “Not everything I do is, like, a comment on Harry Potter or an attempt to distance myself from it,” Radcliffe explained.
In the years following the series’ end, Radcliffe was mainly ignored by the general public because he was still primarily known as Harry Potter’s portrayer. Still, the actor was not too astonished by this because he knew it would take time to get where he is now.
“I think I knew at the time that it was never gonna be achieved by just one film. It wasn’t gonna be one thing that everyone sees and goes, ‘Oh, he is no longer Harry Potter to us.’ Because that’s just, it’s not how it works,” Radcliffe said.
Daniel Radcliffe has reached the point where his iconic role no longer defines him
Since his final performance as Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe has taken on more challenging parts that distinguish him from his Potter days. The actor has put on so many different and exciting shows over the past decade that it’s safe to say he is no longer defined by his breakthrough role.
Radcliffe’s latest project, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, is a part biography but primarily a satire of overly serious biopics, in which he plays polka-playing parody master “Weird” Al Yankovic. The role is indicative of Radcliffe’s career direction in recent years.
Above all, it’s great to see the actor take on roles he’s enthusiastic about rather than opting for the highest paycheck. After all, he has experienced what it’s like to be a part of one of the biggest franchises in the world and is now simply enjoying himself.
