Daniel Radcliffe Bio

Jun 08, 2016

You would have to be living under a rock not to know Daniel Radcliffe who plays the lead role of Harry Potter in the Harry Potter movies, and with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I coming out he’s only going to get more famous!

First Big Break

Did you know that Daniel already knew he wanted to act at the age of five? Daniel was born on the 23rd of July 1989 in West London and is the only child of a literary agent, Alan George Radcliffe and a Casting Agent, Marcia Jeannine Gresham. It’s no big surprise then that he not only knew he wanted to act, but that he has been drawn toward book to screen adaptations. At the age of ten Daniel made his acting dream a reality when he had his debut in the 1999 BBC television adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel David Copperfield, playing the role of a young David.

Daniel shows his serious side

A Wizard is Born

Talent scouts were scouring England trying to find the perfect fit to play the title character of J.K. Rowling’s beloved Harry Potter novels, and in 2000 producer David Heyman found him. He saw Daniel while attending a play in London and asked him to audition, and J.K. Rowling herself said "having seen Dan Radcliffe's screen test I don't think Chris Columbus could have found a better Harry.” Daniel has won numerous awards for his Harry Potter performances, including Best Performance in a Feature Film: Leading Young Actor (Young Artist Awards) in 2001.

A Young Harry Potter

Harry Down Under

In addition to the Harry Potter films, Daniel has honed his acting chops on Australian television in My Boy Jack and is set to appear in two more films, The Woman in Black and The Journey Is the Destination.

From Boy Sorcerer to Angsty Teen

From Screen to Stage

This talented young actor has taken both movie and theatre world by storm, in addition to his film awards he has also won a Drama Desk award for his performance in Peter Shaffer’s stage play Equus, about a boy who loves horses, performed in London and also on Broadway (In New York.) He will soon be on Broadway again, he is set to appear on stage in How to Succeed in Business without Trying

A Sense of Humour

Daniel appeared in an episode of English Comedian Ricky Gervais’ show short-lived show Extras, playing a not-so-flattering version of himself in 2006, and in 2010 lent his voice to an episode of The Simpsons playing Edmund in The Treehouse of Horror XXI.

Star Power

Daniel has been involved with several charities and most recently participated in a film announcement for The Trevor Project, aimed at preventeening teen suicide.

Daniel's new stage career

Did You Know?

Daniel is the youngest non-royal to have his portrait displayed in London’s National Portrait Gallery
Daniel has acted in a play by co-star Kenneth Branagh, who portrayed Professor Lockhart in Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets (2002)
Daniel likes Punk Rock and his favourite band is The Hold Steady
In 2007 he published several poems he wrote under the pen name Jacob Gershon
Despite being one of the wealthiest young people in Britain, Daniel says he spends the most money on books.