Those of you nostalgic for the days of the Wizarding World franchise may have been a bit shocked to learn that 2021 was the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone being released into theaters. That particular franchise helped put its core trio of actors on the map, and Daniel Radcliffe definitely has the stories to prove it. With Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts set to arrive this weekend, the boy who lived recalled how his first kiss, and more key moments, were connected to his time in the saga.
Ahead of HBO Max’s hotly anticipated reunion special, select clips from cast interviews were released to tease the public on what’s to come. One segment of Radcliffe’s footage saw the actor broaching the subject of how many of his life’s milestones were achieved while making the first eight Wizarding World films at Leavesden Studios in England. As you can read below, Daniel Radcliffe is still an open book when it comes to the world of Potter:
I’ll always be happy to talk about it. … Again, I think people expect me not to want to talk about it; but that’s like somebody never talking about their childhood or their teenage years. Every part of my life is connected to Potter and to Leavesden. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here.
Talking about something like the Harry Potter series always feels like a double-edged sword when it comes to any actor. Seeing how other performers are affected by constant questions about iconic roles would certainly reinforce the potential for Daniel Radcliffe to be upset with those who only want to talk all things Potter. However, candor is something that Mr. Radcliffe has always had in great supply, especially when it comes to the star-making turns in 2001 that established his career, as well as that of Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.
If it wasn’t for his own admissions, the world may never have known about Radcliffe’s struggles with alcohol that came as a part of the intense attention Harry Potter would bring him. That factor alone almost feels like it’d make talking the Potter films all the more difficult. Not so much with Daniel Radcliffe, as he continued to admit that the time spent making movie magic, good or bad, is so connected to his own life that it’s hard to separate:
Everything I can think of is that related right now. It all spirals out from the Potter set somewhere. And everyone also says things like, ‘You grew up on screen,’ and it’s like, ‘Well…yes and no.’ We actually, we did our growing up privately, still. We just did it on a film set, and we did it with each other, and that’s bizarre.
Speaking this openly about his experiences outside of that upcoming reunion special, it’s enough to make you wonder what will be discussed in the main event itself. A little over 20 years of history is sitting there, just waiting to be recalled; and the stories that are still untold are surely enticing for fans and non-fans alike to tune in. It’s a good thing that after Daniel Radcliffe’s own teaser for these festivities comes not too long before we get to see the finished product for ourselves.
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts pulls into HBO Max’s streaming station, on January 1st. That’s the same platform you’ll need to do a binge watch of all eight Harry Potter films, which doesn’t sound like that bad of an idea with the upcoming holiday weekend. For those of you looking forward to the future of the Wizarding World’s past, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will be unveiled on April 15, 2022.
