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Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (born 23 July 1989) is an English actor who rose to prominence playing the titular character in the Harry Potter film series. His work on the series has earned him several awards and more than £60 million.
Radcliffe made his acting debut at age ten in BBC One's television movie David Copperfield (1999), followed by his film debut in 2001's The Tailor of Panama. Cast as Harry at the age of eleven, Radcliffe has starred in eight Harry Potter films since 2001, with the final instalment released in July 2011. In 2007 Radcliffe began to branch out from the series, starring in the London and New York productions of the play Equus, and the 2011 Broadway revival of the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. The Woman in Black (2012) will be his first film project following the final Harry Potter movie.
Radcliffe has contributed to many charities, including Demelza House Children's Hospice and The Trevor Project. He has also made public service announcements for the latter. In 2011 the actor was awarded the Trevor Project's "Hero Award".
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. Radcliffe's mother is Jewish and a native of Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (her family's surname was anglicised from "Gershon"); his father, originally from Northern Ireland, is Protestant. Radcliffe first expressed a desire to act at the age of five. In December 1999, aged ten, he made his acting debut in the BBC One's televised two-part adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield, portraying the title character as a young boy. Radcliffe was educated at independent schools for boys, including Sussex House School, a day school in Cadogan Square in Chelsea, London.
Following the release of the first Harry Potter movie, attending school became hard, with some students becoming hostile. Radcliffe said it was people just trying to "have a crack at the kid that plays Harry Potter" rather than jealousy. As his acting career began to consume his schedule, Radcliffe continued his education through on-set tutors. The actor admitted he was not very good at school, considered it useless, and found the work to be "really, really difficult." However, he did achieve A grades in the three Advanced levels he sat in 2006 but then decided to take a break from education and did not go to college or university. Part of the reason was he already knew he wanted to act and write. Another reason was it would be difficult to have a normal college experience. "The paparazzi, they’d love it,” he told Details magazine in 2007. "If there were any parties going on, they’d be tipped off as to where they were, and it would be all of that stuff."
In the 2003 Comic Relief fundraiser, a lock of Daniel Radcliffe's hair sold at auction for 751 British pounds, the highest amount raised.
After being cast as Harry Potter: "I think I'm a tiny bit like Harry 'cos I'd like to have an owl. Yeah, that's the tiny bit, actually."
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Jacob Radcliffe
23 July 1989, Fulham, London, England
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Liked to play pranks when he was 10. He took co-star Robbie Coltrane's cellular phone and changed it so all the messages were in Turkish.
Has two border terriers named Binka and Nugget.
Tried reading the first Harry Potter book when he was 8 years old, but was unable to finish it. Finally read the entire book when he was cast in the lead role of the film
Has never actually seen the film The Tailor of Panama (2001) in which he appeared.
His favorite book from the Harry Potter series so far is number three, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
In February 2002, he was nominated for, and won "Best Newcomer" at the Variety Club Award ceremonies.
Received the Sir James Carreras Award For Outstanding New Talent for his role in Harry Potter at The Variety Club Showbusiness Awards 2002.
Voted Person of the Year 2002 by Time Kids.
Has stated that 12 Angry Men (1957) is the first black & white film he ever saw and is also his favorite film.
He named Jane's Addiction, The Libertines, Rage Against the Machine and The Darkness among his favorite bands.
David Heyman, the producer for the Harry Potter films happened to be at a play that both Dan and Dan's father, Alan Radcliffe, were at. After Heyman spotted Radcliffe, since both men knew each other, he was introduced to his son and when Heyman saw Daniel he thought he looked perfect for the part. In fact, that night at the play, Heyman couldn't help just staring at Dan because he though he was perfect to play Harry. Daniel auditioned for, and got the part that he is now most recognized for, Harry Potter.
He enjoys listening to the music of Blur, Muse, The Music, Zwan and Brendan Benson.
A February 23, 2004 article in British newspaper 'The Sun' listed him as Britain's third richest teenager behind only Prince Harry Windsor and Charlotte Church. He is said to be worth 5 million pounds.
Has earned 6 million pounds so far portraying Harry Potter, making him the second richest teenage in Britain behind Prince Harry Windsor's 14 million pounds. [2004]
Can rotate his arm 360 degrees.
Is a big fan of Gary Oldman, his co-star in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004).
Is a supporter of Fulham Football Club although he doesn't enjoy playing football himself.
He is a fan of Red Hot Chili Peppers and attended their London concert in June 2004.
Some of his favorite music groups are Stratovarius (Finland), Huey Lewis and The News (USA), and Tom Robinson (England).
Favorite actors include Aishwarya Rai, Christina Ricci, Cameron Diaz, Scarlett Johansson and Ben Stiller.
He originally disliked the "Harry Potter" books when he first read them.
Especially like the music group The Sex Pistols. He also plays the bass guitar.
He is a fan of indie rock. Some of his favorite bands include: The Zutons, Razorlight, The Libertines, Bloc Party, Hope of the States, The Futureheads and Kaiser Chiefs.
Delays between filming the second and third Harry Potter movies were caused because his parents wanted him to be able to attend normal school for a while.
Says he doesn't read any articles or reviews about himself or his movies.
He supports Demelza House Children's Hospice, which is a charity that cares for terminally-ill children in the Kent, East Sussex and South London areas of Britain. Dan always asks his fans to donate to the charity every Christmas and on his birthday instead of sending him gifts. In the book, 'Harry Potter and the Half- Blood Prince', the author J.K. Rowling named the character Demelza Robins after the charity.
He likes the music of The Strokes, The Clash and Pixies.
[May/June 2006] He sat his AS Levels in English Literature, History, and Religion and Philosophy for his AS levels (First year college exams).
Named Britain's richest teenager with an astounding 23 million pound fortune, after he signed on a 8 million pound deal to make the fifth movie of the Harry Potter series.
Dan scared the make-up department crew when he came on set with bloodied sticking plasters on his face claiming that he had been fighting the previous day (just for a laugh).
His parents are Alan Radcliffe, a literary agent, and Marcia Gresham, a casting director.
Is also a big fan of The Killers.
Before working with Brendan Gleeson in the Harry Potter series, he worked with him in The Tailor of Panama (2001).
23 July 2007 - Appeared on BBC Radio's Test Match Special, from Lords, London, on the final day of the England v. India test match. It was his 18th birthday and he was a guest on "View from the Boundary" hosted by Jonathan Agnew, the BBC's cricket correspondent. He talked about his career to date, his love of cricket and his admiration for the grit of his favorite player Paul Collingwood. He appeared a second time in 2009 accompanied by fellow Potter cast member Tom Felton who plays Draco Malfoy.
Is very close to actor Gary Oldman.
His agent Sue Latimer is the mother (and agent) to his friend and fellow actor Freddie Highmore.
He is a huge fan of John Wayne.
Was ranked #6 on Forbes List of The 20 Top-Earning Young Superstars.(2007).
Named #23 on Empire Magazine's 100 Sexiest Movie Stars. (2007).
Was ranked #10 on Yahoo! List of 10 Most Popular Stars of 2007 on Yahoo! Movies. (2007).
Was ranked #79 on Forbes List of The Celebrity 100. (2007).
In 2007, Forbes Magazine estimated his earnings for the year at $15 million.
Was ranked #29 on Entertainment Weekly's '30 Under 30' the actors list.(2008).
Was ranked #3 on TV Guide Top 10 Teen Star Countdown (2008).
Was ranked #8 on Moviefone's 'The 25 Hottest Actors Under 25'(2008).
Named as one of London's 1000 most influential people of 2008.
Ranked #11 on MSN's top searched for stars under age 25 in 2008.
Ranked #1 on MSN's top searched for male in 2007.
In 2008, Dan and the cast of Equus raised $203,746 for the charity, BroadwayCares/EquityFightsAids 20th Gypsy of the Year competition, setting a record for the most ever raised by a Broadway play. They not only beat the amount raised by other Broadway musicals but also came runner up for the best presentation, again beating out every other musical with their own song and dance. (The winning presentation was the Lion King's). Dan wrote and sang the song. http://www.broadwaycares.org/events/gypsy.cfm.
Considers himself as an atheist and respects the work of Richard Dawkins.
The Guardian (UK) reported that Radcliffe has published some poetry under the pen name "Jacob Gershon." Jacob is his middle name, and Gershon is the original Yiddish name from which his mother's maiden name, Gresham, was derived.
In August 2009, The Trevor Project announced that Daniel Radcliffe had made a "major" donation to them and joined their "Circle of Hope," a group of their high-donating supporters. The Trevor Project operates a national (US) crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth (who are four times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual children and teens). The Trevor Project was inspired by the short film Trevor (1994), about a gay boy who attempts suicide; the organization was started by the film's creators in 1998.
I don't know. People tell me I look mournful. They say, "Cheer up, Dan, it's not that bad!" Sometimes I just look into space, which freaks people out. If I was ever required to do anything other than look haunted, I could. I'm a happy person. Though I don't, like, dot my "I's" with hearts or anything - that would be too happy.
I'm not much of a cake person.
But I don't think it's going to happen. I don't think I'll do all of them - I'll probably get too spotty or too tall or I'll shrink or something.
"Absolutely. 100 percent." [on believing in magic]
I was in the bath at the time, 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.
I'm not clumsy, I'm just accident prone.
Upon seeing the movie: "I'm a bit nervous about whether people will like it, but I've seen it, and I'm sure they will. It's really good - it's quite scary, it's quite emotional. Even I cried and I don't cry easily! I cried at the end credits when my name came up, and I was, like, Oh my God! I can't believe that's my name! I've met so many people since we started filming and it's been wonderful. I've progressed so far and changed so much since the beginning. It's been like a real journey."
On considering himself as a heartthrob: "Personally I can't see it, but if other people can, fine. Cool!"
I would consider doing any part as long as the script is good and the film has an interesting director.
"I like them, but it's hard to concentrate when the bats fly about, and they pee while they fly." [about the bats on the set]
I've never been one of the cool people at school, but then again, I don't get the people who are cool. It's not that I don't like them, it's just that they don't interest me.
"Too many little numbers on one page!" - about math
Stage is much more intimidating than going before the cameras, because you can really screw up, and can't do a retake.
When I go back to school everyone asks a lot of questions. Then, after about a week, when I've answered everything, we get back to normal.
It's too far down the road to decide about a fifth movie. I'm still the same age Harry is, and I haven't actually grown that much.
Fans are really important for me. And if they take pains to write me, it's the minimum that I answer myself.
I think I'm highly normal. I'm attending school after acting, I'm going out with friends, going to the cinema - I'm just doing everything a normal teenager does. People think I can't leave the house without being in a crowd of fans - but that's not true. I'm able to do more things than people might think.
I'm thrilled of the acceptance I get abroad. The people are so hearty, warm and grateful and I feel privileged having seen so many countries and some of the greatest monuments.
When I get into trouble at school I'd like to take an invisibility cloak, drape it over me and sneak out the door. Or I'd like to have a 3-headed-dog because then no one would argue with me.
I played a trick on the make-up department where I put a fake blood capsule in my mouth, pretended to trip on the stairs and let the blood come out of my mouth. They really fell for it, then they chased after me with a water pistol.
Everyone on the set has a mobile phone, and I found by pushing a few buttons, they could be programmed into different languages. I fixed Robbie's (Coltrane) to speak in Turkish.
I don't understand girls, but I'm slowly learning.
[on saying that he'll do all of the Harry Potter movies] "Ultimately it comes down to whether we're still enjoying it. If we are then I think we would be sort of stupid not to do them. As long as I'm doing other stuff around the same time, I think it'll be fine. Also, I sort of try to read the books when they come out impartially and not make up my mind, but the fact is when I was reading the sixth, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, there were bits in there where I was going, 'God, I would love to do that because it's so good.'"
(on whether he is religious) "I'm not a religious person. My mom was of Jewish blood and my dad was Protestant... I'm very interested in religion as something to study, but I'm not a religious person in the slightest."
I didn't look at the nudity and go, oh great. But it's the same as doing a role with an accent or a particular affectation. You look at the character first. Lots of the actors that I've admired have at one stage or another taken their kit off. It's a rite of passage. That iconic scene is the physical and emotional climax of the play. So if I do that with pants on, it would be crap.
I feel OK about my body. Not totally, of course, no one my age does ... but I've gone to the gym to make sure. And many of the actors I admire, like Gary Oldman, have gone naked.
People will always remember Harry, but I think if I work hard enough other characters will stick in their minds as well.
[About the "Equus" paparazzi]: They were outside the theatre every single night, but we came up with a cunning ruse. I would wear the same outfit every time - a different T-shirt underneath, but I'd wear the same jacket and zip it up so they couldn't see what I was wearing underneath, and the same hat. So they could take pictures for six months, but it would look like the same day, so they (photos) became unpublishable. Which was hilarious, because there's nothing better than seeing paparazzi getting really frustrated.
What everybody would love to see is me having ditched school and then just going wild. That's what I'm determined not to give them.
It's not so much that they don't want me to grow up. It's that they're annoyed that I'm growing up adjusted. They'd much rather I was growing up and going wild and crashing cars.
I'm lucky enough to have a job that I love, and a relatively down-to-earth life.
(On being bullied in school) Some people did get very aggressive. People say it was just jealousy, but I don't think it is jealousy. I think it's just 'We can have a crack at the kid who plays Harry Potter.' As Eddie Izzard says, these people always hang about in fives, because people these have a fifth of a personality each.
I hate celebrity culture but I'm unavoidably part of it. These people are celebrities as a by-product of what they do. People read every little thing about Peter Andre and Katie Price and I couldn't care less. They don't want to work, have no interests, no passions, nothing and yet they seem to be held up on pedestals. I don't think they should be trying to push themselves onto us. It does annoy me of course, but I'm part of it.
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In 2000, producer David Heyman asked Radcliffe to audition for the role of Harry Potter for the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the best-selling book by British author J.K. Rowling. The author had been searching for an unknown British actor to personify the character. However, Radcliffe's parents did not want him to audition for the role as the contract required shooting all seven films in Los Angeles, California, so they did not tell him. Once the movie's director Chris Columbus saw a video of the young actor in David Copperfield, he recalled thinking, "This is what I want. This is Harry Potter". Eight months later, after several auditions, he was selected to play the part. Rowling also endorsed the selection, saying the filmmaker could not "have found a better Harry". Warner Bros offered him a two-movie contract, with shooting in the UK, and assured his parents he would be protected. When signing up, Radcliffe was unsure if he would do any more pictures.
The release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (released as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States) took place in 2001. The story follows Harry, a young boy who learns he is a wizard and is sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to begin his magical education, and gains the help of friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) along the way. Radcliffe had gotten a seven figure salary for the lead role, but asserted that the fee was not "that important" to him. His parents chose to invest the money for him. The film broke records for opening-day sales and opening-weekend takings and became the highest-grossing film of 2001. With a total of US$974 million in ticket sales, Philosopher's Stone stands as the second most commercially successful in the series, behind the final installment. The adaptation met with strong reviews, and critics took notice of Radcliffe: "Radcliffe is the embodiment of every reader's imagination. It is wonderful to see a young hero who is so scholarly looking and filled with curiosity and who connects with very real emotions, from solemn intelligence and the delight of discovery to deep family longing," wrote Bob Graham of the San Francisco Chronicle.
A year later, Radcliffe starred in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second instalment of the series. Reviewers were positive about the lead actors' performances but had polarised opinions on the movie as a whole. Stephen Hunter of the Washington Post labelled it "big, dull and empty", whereas Desson Thomson of the same publication had more positive feelings. Observing that Radcliffe and his peers had matured, Los Angeles Times's staff writer Kenneth Turan believed the novel's magic could not be successfully duplicated in the film. Nonetheless, it still managed to earn US$878 million, taking the second spot of the highest-grossing 2002 films worldwide behind The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
The 2004 release Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban marked the third in the series. While garnering the highest critical acclaim of the series at that point and grossing US$795.6 million worldwide, the film's performance at the box office ranks the lowest in the series. Meanwhile, Radcliffe's performance was panned by critics, who found him to be "wooden", with New York Times journalist A. O. Scott writing that Watson had to carry him with her performance. Next was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005. The film explored romantic elements, included more humour and saw Harry selected as a competitor in a dangerous multi-wizard school competition. Goblet of Fire set records for a Harry Potter opening weekend, as well as for a non-May opening weekend in the US and an opening weekend in the UK. In a 2005 interview, Radcliffe singled out the humour as being a reason for the movie's creative success.
Despite the success of the past movies, the future of the franchise was put into question as all three lead actors were unsure about signing on to continue their roles for the final two episodes. However, by 2 March 2007, Radcliffe signed for the final films, which put an end to weeks of press speculation that he would be denied the part due to his involvement in Equus. Radcliffe reprised his role for the fifth time in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), which details Harry's return to Hogwarts after his recent encounter with Lord Voldemort. It opened to positive responses from the press. IGN movie critic Steven Horn found Order of the Phoenix to be one of "those rare films that exceeds the source material" and Colin Bertram of New York's Daily News publication dubbed it the best movie in the series. Radcliffe has stated that he had formed a special bond with actor Gary Oldman while working with him on set and that director David Yates and actress Imelda Staunton made Order of the Phoenix the "most fun" film in the series to work on. His performance earned several nominations, and he picked up the 2008 National Movie Award for "Best Male Performance". As the fame of the actor and the series continued, Radcliffe and fellow Harry Potter cast members Rupert Grint and Emma Watson left imprints of their hands, feet, and wands in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
On 15 July 2009, the series's sixth instalment, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was released. It centres around Harry discovering an old book belonging to the Half-Blood Prince and beginning to learn more about Lord Voldemort's past. The film did considerably better than the previous movie, breaking the then-record for biggest midnight US showings, with US$22.2 million at 3,000 theatres and with US$7 million, giving the UK its biggest Wednesday ever. In its total run, Half-Blood Prince totalled in US$933 million ticket sales. The film remains one of the most positively reviewed entries within the series among film critics, who praised the film's "emotionally satisfying" story, direction, cinematography, visuals and music. At the 2010 MTV Movie Awards, Radcliffe received nominations for "Best Male Performance" and "Global Superstar".
For financial and scripting reasons, the last book was divided into two films that were shot back to back, drawing criticism from the book's fanbase. The actor defended the split, pointing out that it would have been impossible to properly adapt the final novel into a single film. He added that the last movie was going to be extremely fast-paced with a lot of action, while the first part would be far more sedate, focussing on character development. Had they combined them, those things would not have made it to the final cut. Filming lasted for a year, concluding in June 2010. On the last day of shooting, like most of the cast and crew, Radcliffe openly wept. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010) was about Harry, Ron and Hermione leaving Hogwarts to track down Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes, which are objects Voldemort has left part of his soul inside. The film was released in November and grossed over US$950 million. Its most lucrative territory was the UK, where it reportedly had the highest-grossing three-day opening in history. Overseas, its earnings of US$205 million in 91 markets made it the top-grossing foreign opening for a non-summer picture. The movie received mostly favourable reviews in the media.
The final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, was released worldwide starting on 13 July 2011 in Australia. The film concerns the battle against Voldemort's followers in Hogwarts, along with Harry's final climactic duel with Lord Voldemort. Radcliffe, along with the film, was critically acclaimed. Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post asked: "Who could have predicted that Radcliffe, Grint and Watson would turn out to be good actors?" Likewise, Rex Reed of the New York Observer said: "Frankly, I’m sorry to see Radcliffe go," while Rolling Stone's critic Peter Travers commented on Radcliffe: "Well played, sir." However, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times said that Radcliffe, Grint and Watson were "upstaged by the supporting actors". The film broke several box office records, including biggest midnight release, biggest first-day opening, and biggest opening-weekend. Deathly Hallows - Part 2 is currently the third-highest grossing film in the world, and the highest-grossing non-James Cameron film, with more than $1.3 billion worldwide. Radcliffe admitted that some people would never be able to separate him from the character but also said he is "proud to be associated with this film series forever." Despite positive feelings about the movies, he has no interest in doing more Harry Potter films. After Rowling suggested writing an eighth book, Radcliffe was asked if he would do another film; he replied: "It is very doubtful. I think 10 years is a long time to spend with one character." Despite devoting so much time to the series, Radcliffe has asserted that he did not miss out on a childhood like other child actors: "I’ve been given a much better perspective on life by doing Potter.
Prior to Harry Potter, Radcliffe made his film debut in The Tailor of Panama, an American 2001 film based on John le Carré's 1996 spy novel and a moderate commercial success. In 2002, he made his stage debut as a celebrity guest in the West End production The Play What I Wrote directed by Kenneth Branagh, who appeared with him in the second Harry Potter movie. In 2007, he appeared in December Boys, an Australian family drama about four orphans that was shot in 2005 and released to theatres in mid-September 2007. Also in 2007, Radcliffe co-starred with Carey Mulligan in My Boy Jack, a television drama film shown on ITV on Remembrance Day. The TV film received mostly positive reviews, with several critics praising Radcliffe's performance as an 18 year-old who goes missing in action during a battle. Radcliffe stated, "For many people my age, the First World War is just a topic in a history book. But I've always been fascinated by the subject and think it's as relevant today as it ever was."
At age 17, in a bid to show people he was not a kid anymore, he performed onstage in Peter Shaffer's play Equus, which had not been revived since its first run in 1973. Radcliffe took on the lead role as Alan Strang, a stable boy who has an obsession with horses, at the Gielgud Theatre. The role generated significant pre-opening media interest and advance sales topped £1.7 million, as Radcliffe appeared in a nude scene. Equus opened on 27 February 2007 and ran until 9 June 2007. Radcliffe's performance received positive reviews as critics were impressed by the nuance and depth of his against-type role. Charles Spencer of The Daily Telegraph wrote that he "displays a dramatic power and an electrifying stage presence that marks a tremendous leap forward." He added: "I never thought I would find the diminutive (but perfectly formed) Radcliffe a sinister figure, but as Alan Strang, there are moments when he seems genuinely scary in his rage and confusion." The production then transferred to Broadway in September 2008 with Radcliffe still in the lead role. Radcliffe stated he was nervous about repeating the role on Broadway because he considered American audiences more discerning than those in London. Radcliffe's performance was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.
After voicing a character in an episode of the animated television series The Simpsons in late 2010, Radcliffe debuted as J. Pierrepont Finch in the 2011 Broadway revival How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, a role previously held by Broadway veterans Robert Morse and Matthew Broderick. Other cast members included John Larroquette, Rose Hemingway and Mary Faber. Both the actor and production received favourable reviews, with the latter receiving 9 Tony Award nominations. Radcliffe will leave the production on 1 January 2012. His first post-Harry Potter project will be the 2012 supernatural thriller The Woman in Black, which is adapted from the 1983 novel by Susan Hill and set for a February release in the UK. Radcliffe portrays a man sent to deal with the legal matters of a mysterious woman who has just died. Soon after, he begins to experience strange events and hauntings from the ghost of a woman dressed in black. He said he was "incredibly excited" to be part of the film and described the script as "beautifully written". Variety confirmed Radcliffe will star in the indie comedy The Amateur Photographer, a film adaptation of the book of the same name, directed by Christopher Monger. Set in 1970, it follows a man (Radcliffe) who discovers his calling after being drafted by the residents of a small England mill town to serve as a photographer for their most personal moments.
In 2007, Radcliffe was in a relationship with Laura O'Toole, an understudy for one of his co-stars in a play. Following the break-up, they remained friends. In August 2011, it was announced that Radclife was dating Rosanne Coker. They met on the set of Half-Blood Prince and have since worked on four films together. He is an atheist and has also stated that he is "very proud of being Jewish." In 2008, he revealed that he suffers from a mild form of the neurological disorder dyspraxia. The motor skill disorder sometimes gets so bad that he has trouble doing simple activities, such as writing or tying his own shoelaces. "I was having a hard time at school, in terms of being crap at everything, with no discernible talent," Radcliffe commented. In August 2010, he stopped drinking alcohol after finding himself becoming too reliant on it.
Radcliffe is a supporter of the Liberal Democrats. He has voiced support for the party's Nick Clegg and pledged to spend more time in the UK to help increase his profile to a younger audience. At the age of 16, Radcliffe became the youngest non-royal ever to have an individual portrait in Britain's National Portrait Gallery. On 13 April 2006, his portrait, drawn by Stuart Pearson Wright, was unveiled as part of a new exhibition opening at the Royal National Theatre, then moved to NPG where it resides.
He is a fan of underground and punk rock music, and is a keen follower of cricket, including cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. Writing short stories and poetry is also a passion. In November 2007, the actor published several poems under the pen name Jacob Gershon – a combination of his middle name and the Jewish version of his mother's maiden name Gresham – in Rubbish, an underground fashion magazine. He enjoys a close friendship with his fellow Harry Potter co-stars Emma Watson and Tom Felton and is tight-knit with his family, whom he credits for keeping him grounded.
Speaking out against homophobia, Radcliffe filmed public service announcements for The Trevor Project promoting awareness of gay teen suicide prevention beginning in 2009. He first learned of the organisation while working on Equus on Broadway in 2008 and has contributed financially to it. "I have always hated anybody who is not tolerant of gay men or lesbians or bisexuals. Now I am in the very fortunate position where I can actually help or do something about it," he said in a 2010 interview. In the same interview, he spoke of the importance of public figures advocating for equal rights. Radcliffe considers his involvement to be one of the most important things in his career. For his work for the organisation, he was given the "Hero Award" in 2011.
Radcliffe has supported various charities. He designed a Cu-Bed for Habitat's VIP Kids range, and all the royalties from the sale of the bed went directly to his favourite charity, Demelza House Children's Hospice, in Sittingbourne, Kent. Radcliffe has urged his fans to make donations in lieu of Christmas presents to him to that charity's Candle for Care program. In 2008, he was among several celebrities to donate their old eyeglasses to an exhibit honouring victims of the Holocaust. During the Broadway run of Equus, the actor also auctioned off a pair of jeans he wore in the show for several thousand dollars. He has also donated money to Get Connected UK, a London-based free confidential national helpline for troubled youth.
He is reported to have earned £1 million for the first Potter film and around £15 million for the sixth movie. Radcliffe appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List in 2006, which estimated his personal fortune to be £14 million, making him one of the richest young people in the UK. In March 2009, he was ranked number one on the Forbes list of "Most Valuable Young Stars". By April, The Daily Telegraph measured his net worth at £30m, making him the 12th richest young person in the UK. According to the publication, he is expected to have amassed £70m by the time the series of movies concludes. Radcliffe was considered to be the richest teenager in England as of June 2009. In February 2010, he was named the sixth highest paid Hollywood male star and placed at number five on Forbes's December list of Hollywood's highest-grossing actors, with the revenue of US$780 million thanks to one movie released that year: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The actor was reported in 2010 to have personal assets of £28.5 million, making him richer than Princes William and Harry. Despite his wealth, Radcliffe has said he does not have expensive tastes. His main expense is buying books: "I read a lot." He also stated that money would never be the focus of his life.
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