Daniel Radcliffe is ready to pass the “Harry Potter” torch.
The Tony-winning actor and former franchise star spoke to “Good Morning America” on Tuesday about the “Harry Potter” remake series set to premiere on HBO in 2027. Here, Radcliffe shared that he sent Dominic McLaughlin (the new Boy Who Lived) some words of encouragement as the child prepares to embark on his own adaptation of the famed fantasy series.
“I just wanted to write to him to say, ‘I hope you have the best time, and an even better time than I did — I had a great time, but I hope you have an even better time,’” Radcliffe said on “GMA.” “And I do, I just see these pictures of him and the other kids and I just want to hug them.”
Nobody knows the experience McLaughlin is about to undergo quite like Radcliffe. Radcliffe was around McLaughlin’s age when he started filming the “Harry Potter” movies, placing himself at the center of a massive cinematic franchise that would go on to gross billions of dollars. It’s a multi-year commitment, one that had Radcliffe (and likely McLaughlin) grow up in front of the camera.
“They just seem so young,” Radcliffe said. “I just look at them and say, ‘Oh it’s crazy I was doing that.’ But it’s also incredibly sweet and I hope they’re having a great time.”
Radcliffe has made it clear that he does not want his interpretation of the series to loom over his younger counterparts. He told “GMA” that he expected the younger actors to reach out to him first, as if he has ownership over the role. Rather, he simply hopes the new cast (including Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger) has a good time filming the long-running HBO show.
Radcliffe himself has had a complicated relationship with “Harry Potter” as of late, as the franchise star has vocally spoken out against comments about trans people made by series creator J.K. Rowling. In 2020, Radcliffe issued a statement through The Trevor Project showing his support for the trans community in light of Rowling’s comments. He briefly spoke about this in a 2024 profile with The Atlantic, reasserting his support for queer communities.
“I will continue to support the rights of all LGBTQ people, and have no further comment than that,” he said in 2024.
