Daniel Radcliffe Keeps His Harry Potter Past Hidden From His Son

Daniel Radcliffe, known for his role as Harry Potter, revealed his intention to keep his iconic character a secret from his son for as long as possible.

In an interview with The New York Times, Radcliffe explained that he wants to "just be his dad" and hopes his son won't know him as anything else.

Radcliffe welcomed his first child with actress Erin Darke in April 2023.

He expressed relief when his 2-year-old son did not recognize him on a DVD cover. “Does my son know who Harry Potter is? No, not yet,” he said. The actor described his surprise when he found the DVD sitting on their kitchen table, wondering if his son would recognize him.

He plans to avoid steering his son toward the Harry Potter series, but he remains open to reading J.K. Rowling's books with him if he shows interest. "If he gets into them, I totally will," Radcliffe stated, adding that he believes his son will discover them eventually.

In terms of adaptations, Radcliffe prefers the upcoming HBO series over his films. “Hopefully I can just put that on, and he doesn’t have to watch me in it,” he said.

When discussing his inspirations, Radcliffe mentioned Gary Oldman, highlighting the versatility of actors like him and Steve Buscemi. “To me, you see somebody having fun, enjoying their career,” he said.

He also spoke about the cultural impact of The Simpsons on his life, stating, “Most of the facts I know about either American geography or American culture are probably — many of them derived from The Simpsons.”

Radcliffe is set to return to Broadway in Every Little Thing, a one-man play that emphasizes the importance of its message. He believes the production has a vital message for audiences. “I think there’s something really important in the message of it,” he said.