It's been a long time since all the ‘Harry Potter’ films were released, but the fascination with their magic and wizardry remains. Over the years, eight movies were released, all of which were based on a series of books by J.K. Rowling.
You've probably read the books: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,” “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1,” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.”
Throughout all the movies, the titular character was portrayed by actor, Daniel Radcliffe. Here’s what he has said about working on one of the most successful film franchises in Hollywood:
15 He Was In The Bath When He Learned That He Got Cast As Harry Potter
“I was in the bath. I guess talking to my mum about something, I don't know what, and then my dad came in,” Radcliffe told Thrillist. “I remember hearing the phone ring, and I remember it being picked up, and then three minutes later my dad just came up the stairs and he was like, 'They're going to tell you officially tomorrow, but we've just got the call sounding us out, it's happening,' and I freaked out.”
14 Daniel Radcliffe Believes It Was His Enthusiasm That Won Him The Role
Radcliffe told The Huffington Post, “The thing that I will always say about myself is I was not the most gifted child actor.” The actor added, “When I look at other young actors, like when I look at the kids on ‘Stranger Things’ or shows like that, I’m just like, ‘Holy! My god! How are you doing that?’ It’s amazing. The thing I think I really was good at, and the thing I had, which was a huge advantage for me, was I just loved it.”
13 The First Day Of Shooting ‘The Sorcerer’s Stone’ Was ‘The Most Nerve-Wracking Thing’ For Him
“The most nerve-wracking thing was the first day, because before that it had just been me, Rupert [Grint], Emma [Watson], and Chris, rehearsing in Chris's office,” Radcliffe told BBC.
He continued: “I got the call sheet for the first day, I looked under the cast and it said "Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint". So I thought, Fine, I'm used to that. Then I turned over the page and it said: "Extras, 150." At that moment, I got quite scared.”
12 Working On The Franchise At 11 Years Old And Being Able To Do Some Stunts Was ‘Heaven’ To Him
“Imagine being an 11-year-old boy and being told, ‘You’re going to run around on crash mats and jump on trampolines.’ It was kind of heaven,” Radcliffe told Deadline. “I do feel any actor who has an interest in doing stunts and wants to be involved in that stuff as much as they can, you need to build up a relationship with your stunt double, or at least the stunt department. If you don’t, they’ll never know what you’re capable of.”
11 He Believes That He Could Have Used An Acting Coach While Working On The Films
“If we had a singing scene, we had a singing teacher come in. If we had a dance scene, a dance coach would come in,” Radcliffe told Melvyn Bragg while appearing on “The South Bank Show.” “We never had an acting coach in all the time we were there, and there were times we could have done with one. I know I could have.”
10 He Enjoyed Hanging Out Of A Car Window While Filming ‘Chamber Of Secrets’
“The action scenes for me were so much fun,” Radcliffe shared with BBC. “In the scene when I'm hanging out of the car window, that was actually me, I was hanging 25-30ft up in the air, and it was just really cool. I do as many of the stunts as possible, although obviously there are some I can't do.”
9 He Noted That Working With Chris Columbus On The First Two Films, Then Being Directed By Alfonso Cuarón In ‘Prisoner of Azkaban’, Was ‘Very Different’ (In A Good Way)
“I mean, it was. It was very different. But it was also like, I think it’s the best decision that was ever made for the series,” Radcliffe told The Huffington Post. “Because it just changed how people saw us and it changed the perception of what we were trying to do. “Oh, they’re trying to make something different!” He had just come off “Y Tu Mamá También,” so that was people’s frame of reference for Alfonso.”
8 For A 35-Foot Drop Stunt In ‘The Goblet Of Fire,’ Radcliffe Said The Stunt Team Talked Him Through It
“They talked me through it and said, ‘It’s 35 feet. Do you think you can do that?’ Radcliffe told Deadline. “At 14 or 15, you’re full of bravado in front of a bunch of stuntmen, so I was like, ‘Yeah, of course I can.’” He added, “In retrospect, I look back on it and think it was pretty crazy that I was allowed to do that. 35 feet is a lot higher than you think once you get up there.”
7 He’s Pretty Sure It Was The Prop Guys Who Wrote His Name For The Goblet Of Fire Scene Because He Has Bad Handwriting
During a Reddit AMA, Radcliffe revealed, “You know what, I don't think we did I'm pretty sure. Because I think that by that point, they had figured out my handwriting was so bad that they would never let it be seen in the film. So I'm pretty sure one of the props guys wrote ‘Harry Potter’ neatly on a piece of paper for me to put in.”
6 He Enjoyed Filming Scenes With Imelda Staunton In ‘The Goblet of Fire’
“My favorite scene is all of the scenes that I worked with Imelda Staunton as Professor Umbridge,” Radcliffe told Cinema Today Japan. “She's a really wonderful actress. She's a very pleasant person, and when I'm with her, I'm happy. And she's also a very intellectual person. It is really wonderful that I'm working with her, and I love the scenes with her most.”
