As the photos of the young cast of HBO’s upcoming ‘Harry Potter’ series emerge, original star Daniel Radcliffe admits the experience is proving far more emotional and paternal than he ever expected.
Nearly 15 years after he hung up his glasses and wand, Radcliffe is watching a new trio of 11-year-olds step into the wizarding world. And for the first time in his career, the actor is feeling less like a predecessor and more like a protective godfather.
Daniel Radcliffe’s “Very Paternal Feelings” for New ‘Harry Potter’ Child Stars
In a candid interview while promoting his new NBC comedy ‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins,’ Radcliffe, now 36, revealed that seeing Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout, and Arabella Stanton begin their journey as Harry, Ron, and Hermione has triggered a wave of unexpected emotion. “With all the new ‘Harry Potter’ stuff, there were definitely some times when I would suddenly see these pictures of these three kids starting their own journey, and it’s very surreal and strange,” Radcliffe told People. “It provokes very paternal feelings in me, even though I do not know these children.“
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The actor, who became a father himself in 2023, confessed that he has been texting with his original co-stars, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, about the reboot. While the trio famously spent a decade in the spotlight together, they are now united by a singular impulse: protection. “I have not met them—and I’ve talked to Emma about this a little bit—but I think we all want to reach into the screens and hug them and make sure they’re OK,” Radcliffe said. “We just hope that they have a great time“.
Daniel Radcliffe Reflects on His Own 11-Year-Old Potter Fame
Radcliffe was just 11 when he was cast in ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’. Looking back, he says fatherhood has completely shifted his perspective on that experience. “When you’re 11 and you’re doing something, you’re like, ‘Of course I’m old enough to do this—I’m the oldest I’ve ever been.’ But now when I meet 11-year-olds, I am like, ‘Whoa, that seems nuts,'” he explained. “It puts it into perspective“.
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The actor credited his own parents for navigating the “crazy” intensity of global fame with humor and grace. “Honestly, it makes me admire them more than I was capable of doing at the time,” he said. “They got me through something crazy.”
Daniel Radcliffe’s Plea to Fans
Despite his instinct to protect, Radcliffe is making a conscious effort to step back. In a separate interview with ScreenRant, he issued a plea to fans and the media: stop asking the new cast about the old one.
“When these kids got cast, there was a whole thing around the internet, people being like, ‘We’ve got to look after these kids,‘” Radcliffe noted. “If everyone really means that… one of the things you can do for me is not ask about us—me, Emma, Rupert—all the time.” He added with a laugh, “I would like not to be weird spectral phantoms in these children’s lives“.
Radcliffe has already reached out to Dominic McLaughlin privately, sending a letter of encouragement. “I just wanted to say, ‘I hope you have the best time, and an even better time than I did,'” Radcliffe shared.
As production continues on the HBO series, aiming for a 2027 release, Radcliffe seems settled in his new role as the franchise’s benevolent elder statesman. “It’s going to be a new thing,” he insists. “And honestly? I hope my son watches their version. Watching it with your dad in the role would be less cool, right?”
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