Daniel Radcliffe doesn't want the new Harry Potter actors to always be asked about him, Emma Watson, or Rupert Grint: "I would like not to be some weird spectral phantom"
The former Harry Potter actor also believes newcomer Dominic McLaughlin will be "better" than him
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Original Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe has one request to help the new actors in the HBO adaptation settle into their magical roles.
After discussing calls to protect the new Harry Potter actors from outside noise in an interview with Screen Rant, Radcliffe commented, "If everyone really means that… one of the things you can do is not ask [them] about us – me, Emma [Watson], and Rupert [Grint] – all the time. I would like not to be some weird spectral phantom in these children's lives."
Radcliffe added, "It's going to be a new thing, it's going to be a different thing."
The upcoming HBO Max series sees Dominic McLaughlin step into the robes of Harry Potter, joined by Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley.
Radcliffe, who portrayed The Boy Who Lived across eight movies in a decade, also boldly declared, "I'm sure Dominic is going to be better than me." The actor then recalled his own experience: "I learned as I went… I look back on what I did now with a lot more kindness and I find it less embarrassing now."
While Radcliffe is taking a more measured approach than some of his former castmates, David Thewlis, who played Lupin, joked he was "sick of talking about it, quite honestly."
Harry Potter, described by one Warner Bros. boss as potentially the "streaming event of the decade", is slated for 2027.
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The upcoming HBO Harry Potter series, on which J.K. Rowling is an executive producer, has been the subject of criticism and debate due to the author’s public stance on gender identity, which continues to challenge the inclusivity at the heart of the Harry Potter community. It was a similar situation with the Hogwarts Legacy launch, and you can read more about the Hogwarts Legacy controversy in our explainer.

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.
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