Profile of Daniel Radcliffe

Language Level: Basic

Standard Accent: British

Source: SPEAKUP

Daniel Radcliffe

Harry Potter may lose his glasses, his clothes and his innocence in a revival of Peter Shaffer’s 1973 play Equus, but He has received enthusiastic reviews for his performance as a disturbed teenager. The play is Daniel Radcliffe’s debut on the London Stage, at the Gielgud Theatre.

SUPERSTAR

Daniel Radcliffe has earned millions of pounds from his appearance as Harry Potter, and has just signed contracts to appear in the final two films of the series. This makes his decision to star in Equus, with no stage training, incredibly brave. The tortured role of Alan Strang, a stable boy who blinds six horses with a metal spike, includes a scene in which he appears naked. The play is a detective story in which psychiatrist Martin Dysart, played by Richard Griffiths, explores the boy’s relationship with his girlfriend, authoritarian father and devout mother, and tries to understand the reasons behind the attacks. Daniel succeeds brilliantly in the part and breaks the magical spell cast upon him by Harry Potter.

EARLY DAYS

How did Daniel’s acting career begin? In 1999, at the age of 10, he got the part of David Copperfield in a BBC production of Dickens’ famous novel. Two years later, he appeared in the film the Tailor of Panama with pierce Brosnan and Jamie Lee Curtis. Jamie Lee Curtis suggested Daniel would be perfect as Harry Potter, but his parents didn’t take Daniel to audition until they were approached by the Director Chris Columbus. Daniel remembers: “I was in the bath, and my dad came running in and said: Guess who they want to play Harry Potter?  and I started to cry. It was probably, the best moment of my life.” Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, released in November 2001, was an incredible success: it earned 740 million Euros worldwide and was the fourth most successful film ever made.

Trivia (no audio)

      Daniel Radcliffe has two border terries named Binka nd Nugget;

       He tried to read the first Harry Potter book when he was eight years old, but was unable to finish it.

       He has never seen the film The Tailor of Panama.

       He favourite Harry Potter book is number three. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

       He is Britain’s richest teenager.

Quotes

      Does Daniel believe in magic? “Absolutely. 100 percent.”

       On being a sex symbol: “Personally I can’t see it, but it other people can, fine. Cool”.