Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (born 23 July, 1989), from Fulham, London, is a British actor who is best known for playing Harry Potter, the main character of the film adaptations of the Harry Potter series.

Early career
Radcliffe was born on 23 July 1989 in West London, England, the only child of Alan George Radcliffe, a literary agent, and Marcia Jeannine Gresham (née Marcia Gresham Jacobson), a casting agent who was involved in several films for the BBC, including The Inspector Lynley Mysteries and Walk Away And I Stumble. Alan Radcliffe and Marcia Gresham, discouraged their only child from show business when, at age five, he said that he wanted to perform. However, they must have soon changed their minds, as in December 1999, he made his first on-screen appearance as the young David Copperfield in David Copperfield, the BBC's televised version of the Dickens novel David Copperfield. This was followed in 2001 by his first film appearance, as Mark Pendel in The Tailor of Panama. In 2001 he starred in his most remembered role; that of Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.In 2002 he had a role in the play The Play What I Wrote directed by Kenneth Branagh; a production well known for their "suprise guest".

In 2004 and 2005 he returned to the Potter franchise in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. He reprised the role of Harry in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, scheduled for a November 2005 release. Radcliffe starred in the independent Australian film December Boys directed by Rod Hardy within the next year and in 2007 he once again put on the famous lightning-bolt shaped scar and round glasses in the fifth Harry Potter film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. In 2009, he was in its sequel, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. He appeared in the final two Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2010 and 2011, respectively. In 2012 he portrayed Arthur Kipps in the horror film The Woman in Black alongside his Harry Potter co-star Ciarán Hinds. His on-screen son is played by his real-life godson.

He will portray Dan Eldon in the fact-based drama The Journey is the Destination.

Personal life
Radcliffe was educated at the famed private all-boys school Sussex House. He also attended the Anna Scher Theatre School in London. He has two dogs named Binka and Nugget.

Daniel prefers being called Dan. He plays the bass guitar and once had a bass lesson from Prisoner of Azkaban co-star Gary Oldman. A passionate guitar rock music fan, some of his favourite bands include The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Libertines, The Strokes, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. His personal favourite band is The Hold Steady, Out of Brooklyn.

Radcliffe has also been a supporter of various charities. Fans have, on his request, repeatedly donated to various organisations, including the Demelza House charity.

In 2006, Radcliffe spoofed his Harry Potter image in an episode of the comedy series Extras starring Ricky Gervais. In the episode, Radcliffe plays himself, but a warped version who womanizes and keeps coming on to Dame Diana Rigg, also appearing as herself. In the film, Radcliffe appears in several scenes spoofing Harry Potter, only with Radcliffe playing a Boy Scout (with Potter glasses) who comes upon an elf in the forest (played by his Potter co-star Warwick Davis). The DVD release of the episode included outtakes in which Radcliffe couldn't keep a straight face whenever Davis uttered a line of dialogue about his flute.

In 2007, Radcliffe starred, along with his Harry Potter co-star Richard Griffiths, in the London West End stage production, Equus. Leading up to his performance, the 17 year old star received much criticism about the adult content in the production. Radcliffe appears nude in the production and publicity materials portrayed a much grown-up and nude Radcliffe. Radcliffe also smokes in the play, upsetting some Harry Potter fans and anti-smoking advocates. He reprised his role in the US production in September 2008. It ended on February 8, 2009.

In August 2008 Dan revealed that he has dyspraxia, which is a developmental issue that make it hard for him to do certain things.

In an interview in Entertainment Weekly, he has said that he cannot wait to film the seventh Harry Potter movie. After rereading the chapter in which Harry encounters Dumbledore in King's Cross, he was surprised to find out Harry is completely naked during the scene, to which he replied, "It's old hat for me now," referring to his role in Equus, in which he is naked on stage for a period of time. However that scene was changed for Part 2, so that Harry and Dumbledore have the conversation from the book, but Harry isn't naked.

Dan has also revealed that he is Jewish, on his mother's side, and "is very proud to be Jewish". However, he also claims that he is an atheist.

In 2009, Radcliffe was nominated and voted in eighteenth place in Portrait Magazine, Top 30 Under 30 2009 List. Some of Dan's fellow Harry Potter costars were also nominated. Bonnie Wright who plays Ginny Weasley was second place, Evanna Lynch who plays Luna Lovegood was third place, Rupert Grint who plays Ron Weasley was fifth place, Emma Watson who plays Hermione Granger was eighth place, and Tom Felton who plays Draco Malfoy was fourteenth place.

When Equus first hit the stage many parents were concerned due to Radcliffe smoking in the production, and the effect this behaviour may have on their children. Radcliffe assured his fans that the cigarettes he smokes in the play are fake, and that he does not smoke in real life. However, Radcliffe was photographed with a cigarette in hand, and has since confessed that he does indeed smoke. Speculation continues as to what the cigarette actually contained; as the picture was snapped at a celebrity party - in London - it was unlikely to consist solely of tobacco.

In March 2011 Radcliffe enraged executives of Warner Bros. when he decided to appear in a showing of his play How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on the same night as the London premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Warner Bros. was forced to pay the play's production company $300,000 to cancel the performance and ensure Radcliffe's attendance at the premiere.

Behind the scenes

 * Before the Harry Potter films, Daniel starred in David Copperfield as young David Copperfield with Maggie Smith as Betsey Trotwood. It was, after seeing this movie that Chris Columbus discovered the young boy and knew that he would be the perfect Harry.
 * Daniel's on-screen first kiss was not Harry's kiss with Cho Chang, played by Katie Leung in Order of the Phoenix, but was with in the Australian film December Boys, which had been filmed earlier.
 * Daniel briefly played Lord Voldemort when Voldemort possessed Harry during Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
 * In the "Seven Potters" scene of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Daniel also plays Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Fleur Delacour and Mundungus Fletcher. According to Daniel, the scene took 96 takes to shoot.
 * Daniel's character, Harry, has green eyes when in fact Dan has blue eyes. This is due to the fact that Dan cannot stand wearing contact lenses. Ironically, Rupert Grint has green eyes while his character, Ron, has blue eyes.
 * Daniel can rotate his arm in a 360 degree angle.
 * Daniel said the second book is his favourite.
 * Daniel's character in the 2011 film The Woman in Black was played by Adrian Rawlins in the 1989 film The Woman in Black. Rawlins plays his father in the Harry Potter films.
 * He starred alongside Ciaran Hinds in The Woman in Black, who portrayed Aberforth Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
 * During the days when they were shooting the early films, both Daniel and Rupert had a crush on Emma Watson, their co-star who plays Hermione Granger, and both tried to win her affection. It is unknown whether any of them still harbours the affection today.
 * Dan knows all of the elements in the periodic table and has the ability to sing Tom Lehrer's song, "The Elements".
 * Dan can count to three with his tongue, which he once demonstrated in Ellen DeGeneres' talk show.
 * Daniel Radcliffe did an impressive 'Blackalicious' rap on the Jimmy Fallon Show.
 * He was found later on in the casting process than Emma Watson and Rupert Grint were.

Awards and Honours

 * Saturn Awards - Best Performance by a Younger Actor (Philosopher's Stone) - Nominated
 * Critics Choice Awards - Best Young Actor/Actress (Philosopher's Stone) - Nominated
 * Empire Awards - Best Début (Philosopher's Stone) - Shared with Emma Watson, Rupert Grint - Nominated
 * Golden Apple Awards - Youth Male Discovery of the Year (2001) - Won
 * MTV Movie Awards - Breakthrough Male Performance (Philosopher's Stone) - Nominated
 * Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards - Best Newcomer (Philosopher's Stone) - Nominated
 * Saturn Awards - Best Performance by a Younger Actor (Chamber of Secrets) - Nominated
 * Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards - Best Acting Ensemble (Chamber of Secrets) - Shared with Kenneth Branagh, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Griffiths, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris, Jason Isaacs, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, Emma Watson - Nominated
 * Saturn Awards - Best Performance by a Younger Actor (Prisoner of Azkaban) - Nominated
 * Critics Choice Awards - Best Young Actor (Prisoner of Azkaban) - Nominated
 * Saturn Awards - Best Performance by a Younger Actor (Goblet of Fire) - Nominated
 * Critics Choice Awards - Best Young Actor (Goblet of Fire) - Nominated
 * MTV Movie Awards - Best Hero (Goblet of Fire) - Nominated
 * MTV Movie Awards - Best On-Screen Team (Goblet of Fire) - Shared with Emma Watson, Rupert Grint - Nominated
 * Saturn Awards - Best Performance by a Younger Actor (Order of the Phoenix) - Nominated
 * Empire Awards - Best Actor (Order of the Phoenix) - Nominated
 * MTV Movie Awards - Best Kiss (Order of the Phoenix) - Shared with Katie Leung - Nominated
 * National Movie Awards - Best Performance by a Male (Order of the Phoenix) - Won
 * MTV Movie Awards - Best Male Performance (Half-Blood Prince) - Nominated
 * People's Choice Awards - Favorite On-Screen Team (Half-Blood Prince) - Shared with Rupert Grint, Emma Watson - Nominated
 * MTV Movie Awards - Best Male Performance (Deathly Hallows Part 1) - Nominated
 * MTV Movie Awards - Best Kiss (Deathly Hallows Part 1) - Shared with Emma Watson - Nominated
 * MTV Movie Awards - Best Fight (Deathly Hallows Part 1) - Shared with Rod Hunt, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Arben Bajraktaraj - Nominated
 * Teen Choice Awards - Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy (Deathly Hallows Part 1) - Nominated
 * Teen Choice Awards - Choice Movie Liplock (Deathly Hallows Part 1) - Won
 * Teen Choice Awards - Choice Summer Movie Star: Male (Deathly Hallows Part 2) - Won