Daniel Radcliffe shares a heartfelt moment he recently had with the young actor who stepped into the role that defined his own childhood.
During a performance op Good morning America on November 18, Radcliffe opened up about writing a letter to 11-year-old Dominic McLaughlin, the new Harry Potter in the upcoming TV adaptation.
When asked if the next Harry should contact him, Radcliffe made it clear that he doesn’t expect anything from the new cast.
But because he already knew a number of people involved behind the scenes, he decided to send McLaughlin a personal message. He said he wrote to Dominic and “received a very sweet note back.”
Radcliffe, who played Harry in eight films from 2001 to 2011, explained that he doesn’t want his presence to overshadow the young stars taking over the iconic trio.
He said he doesn’t want to be a “ghost in the light of these children”, including McLaughlin, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger.
What he did want to do, however, was wish Dominic well as he starts filming.
Radcliffe shared the exact message he sent: “I just wanted to write to him to say, ‘I hope you have the best time, and an even better time than me, I had a great time, but I hope you have an even better time.’
Looking at early photos of the new cast, Radcliffe admitted he feels protective, saying he just wants to “cuddle” them because they look so young.
Looking back on seeing children enter the world he once led, he said it was both “crazy” and “incredibly sweet,” and he sincerely hopes they enjoy the experience.
Production on the HBO series began in July and is scheduled to premiere in 2027.
Each of JK Rowling’s seven books will be adapted into its own season, introducing new faces such as John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Snape and Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy.
Warwick Davis returns as Professor Banning, adding a touch of familiarity for longtime fans.
Radcliffe has already confirmed he will not appear in the series, but previously said he is “very excited to be watching as an audience member.”
