page:  = Daniel Radcliffe = 
   
   Daniel Jacob Radcliffe ( born 23 July 1989 ) is an English actor who rose to prominence as the title character in the Harry Potter film series . He made his acting debut at 10 years of age in BBC One 's 1999 television film David Copperfield , followed by his cinematic debut in 2001 's The Tailor of Panama . At age 11 , he was cast as Harry Potter in the first Harry Potter film , and starred in the series for 10 years until the release of the eighth and final film in 2011 . 
   Radcliffe began to branch out to stage acting in 2007 , starring in the London and New York productions of Equus , and in the 2011 Broadway revival of the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying . He starred in the 2012 horror film The Woman in Black , and played beat poet Allen Ginsberg in the 2013 independent film Kill Your Darlings . 
   He has contributed to many charities , including Demelza Hospice Care for Children , and The Trevor Project for suicide prevention among LGBTQ youth , which gave him its Hero Award in 2011 . 
   
   = = Early life = = 
   
   Radcliffe was born in West London , England . He is 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 . His father , who was raised in Banbridge , County Down , Northern Ireland , is from " a very working @-@ class " Protestant background . His mother is Jewish , and was born in South Africa and raised in Westcliff @-@ on @-@ Sea , Essex . Her family had originally come from Poland and Russia . Radcliffe 's parents had both acted as children . 
   In a 2012 interview , Radcliffe stated : " There was never [ religious ] faith in the house . I think of myself as being Jewish and Irish , despite the fact that I 'm English . " He has stated : " We were Christmas tree Jews " , and that he is " very proud of being Jewish " . 
   Radcliffe first expressed a desire to act at the age of five , and in December 1999 , aged 10 , he made his acting debut in BBC One 's televised two @-@ part adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield , portraying the title character as a young boy . He was educated at two independent schools for boys : Sussex House School , a day school in Chelsea 's Cadogan Square , and the City of London School , a day school on the North Bank of the River Thames in London 's financial district ( known as the City of London ) . Attending school became difficult for Radcliffe after the release of the first Harry Potter film , with some fellow pupils becoming hostile , though he says 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 . He admitted he was not very good at school , considering it useless and finding the work " really difficult . " He achieved A grades in the three AS @-@ level exams that he took in 2006 , but decided to take a break from education and did not go to college or university . Part of his reasoning was that he already knew he wanted to act and write , and that 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 . " 
   
   = = Career = = 
   
   
   = = = Harry Potter = = = 
   
   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 . Rowling had been searching for an unknown British actor to personify the character , and the movie 's director Chris Columbus recalled thinking , " This is what I want . This is Harry Potter " , after he saw a video of the young actor in David Copperfield . Eight months later , and after several auditions , Radcliffe was selected to play the part . Rowling also endorsed the selection saying , " I don 't think Chris Columbus could have found a better Harry . " Radcliffe 's parents originally turned down the offer , as they had been told that it would involve six films shot in Los Angeles . Warner Bros. instead offered Radcliffe a two @-@ movie contract with shooting in the UK ; Radcliffe was unsure at the time if he would do any more than that . 
   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 . Radcliffe received 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 was highly popular and was met with positive 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 installment of the series . Reviewers were positive about the lead actors ' performances but had polarised opinions on the movie as a whole . The 2004 release Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was the third film in the series . Radcliffe 's performance was panned by New York Times journalist A. O. Scott , who wrote that Watson had to carry him with her performance . Next was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005 . The film was the second @-@ highest grossing Harry Potter film at that point , and Radcliffe singled out the humour as being a reason for the movie 's creative success . 
   The future of the franchise was put into question when Radcliffe and his co @-@ leads Emma Watson and Rupert Grint hesitated signing on to continue their roles for the final two episodes ; however , by March 2007 Radcliffe had signed for the final films , which put an end to weeks of press " speculation that he would be denied the role due to his involvement in Equus " , in which he had performed nude on stage . Radcliffe reprised his role for the fourth time in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ( 2007 ) . Radcliffe stated 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 award nominations , and he received the 2008 National Movie Award for " Best Male Performance . " As his fame and the series continued , Radcliffe , Grint , and Watson left imprints of their hands , feet , and wands in front of Grauman 's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood . In July 2009 Harry Potter and the Half @-@ Blood Prince was released , the series ' sixth instalment . Radcliffe received nominations for " Best Male Performance " and " Global Superstar " at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards . 
   For financial and scripting reasons the last book was divided into two films , shot back to back , which drew criticism from the series ' fanbase . Radcliffe defended the split , stating 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 , focusing on character development ; he added that , had they combined them , those things would not have made it to the final cut . Filming lasted for a year , concluding in June 2010 and on the last day of shooting , like most of the cast and crew , Radcliffe openly wept . 
   The final film , Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 , was released in July 2011 . 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 ? " ; similarly , Rex Reed said : " Frankly , I ’ m sorry to see [ Radcliffe ] go " ; while Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers commented on Radcliffe : " Well played , sir . " Roger Ebert gave the film a highly positive review , but felt that Radcliffe , Grint and Watson were " upstaged by the supporting [ actors ] . " 
   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 hinted about writing an eighth book , Radcliffe was asked if he would do another film to which 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 . " 
   
   = = = 2001 – 09 = = = 
   
   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 a West End theatre production of The Play What I Wrote , directed by Kenneth Branagh – who also appeared with him in the second Harry Potter film . In 2007 he appeared in the film 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 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 prepared for adult roles , he performed onstage in Peter Shaffer 's play Equus , which had not been revived since its first run in 1973 , at the Gielgud Theatre . Radcliffe took on the lead role as Alan Strang , a stable boy who has an obsession with horses . Advance sales topped £ 1 @.@ 7 million , and the role generated significant pre @-@ opening media interest , 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 . 
   
   = = = 2010 – present = = = 
   
   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 USA Today commenting : " Radcliffe ultimately succeeds not by overshadowing his fellow cast members , but by working in conscientious harmony with them – and having a blast in the process . " Radcliffe 's performance in the show earned him Drama Desk Award , Drama League Award and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations . The production itself later received nine Tony Award nominations . Radcliffe left the show on 1 January 2012 . 
   His first post @-@ Harry Potter project was the 2012 horror film The Woman in Black , adapted from the 1983 novel by Susan Hill . The film was released on 3 February 2012 in the United States and Canada , and was released on 10 February in the UK . Radcliffe portrays a man sent to deal with the legal matters of a mysterious woman who has just died , and soon after he begins to experience strange events and hauntings from the ghost of a woman dressed in black . He has said he was " incredibly excited " to be part of the film and described the script as " beautifully written " . 
   In 2013 , he portrayed American poet Allen Ginsberg in the thriller drama Kill Your Darlings , directed by John Krokidas . He also starred in an Irish @-@ Canadian romantic comedy film The F Word directed by Michael Dowseand written by Elan Mastai , based on TJ Dawe and Michael Rinaldi 's play Toothpaste and Cigars and then he starred in an American dark fantasy horror film directed by Alexandre Aja Horns . Both of the films premiered at the 38th Toronto International Film Festival . 
   Radcliffe also performed at the Noël Coward Theatre in the stage play revival of Martin McDonagh 's dark comedy The Cripple of Inishmaan as the lead , Billy Claven , for which he won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor in a Play . In 2015 , Radcliffe starred as Igor in a science fiction horror film Victor Frankenstein directed by Paul McGuigan and written by Max Landis , which was based on contemporary adaptations of Mary Shelley 's 1818 novel Frankenstein . In 2016 , Radcliffe portrayed Manny , a talkative corpse , in the indie film Swiss Army Man . 
   He is set to star as American reporter Jake Adelstein in Tokyo Vice . In November 2015 he joined the ensemble cast of Shane Carruth 's third film , The Modern Ocean alongside Anne Hathaway , Keanu Reeves , Tom Holland , Chloë Grace Moretz , Asa Butterfield , Jeff Goldblum and Abraham Attah . 
   
   = = Personal life = = 
   
   In 2008 , Radcliffe revealed that he has a mild form of the neurological disorder developmental coordination disorder . The motor skill disorder sometimes prevents him from 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 . 
   In November 2007 Radcliffe 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 has a close friendship with his Harry Potter co @-@ stars Tom Felton and Emma Watson , and is tight @-@ knit with his family , whom he credits for keeping him grounded . 
   Sources disagree about Radcliffe 's personal wealth ; he was reported to have earned £ 1 million for the first Harry Potter film and around £ 15 million for the sixth . 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 " Most Valuable Young Stars " list , and by April The Daily Telegraph measured his net worth at £ 30m , making him the 12th richest young person in the UK . Radcliffe was considered to be the richest teenager in England later that year . 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 a film revenue of US $ 780 million , mainly due to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows being released that year . 
   Radcliffe maintains a home in the West Village of Lower Manhattan in New York City . As of October 2012 , Radcliffe has been dating American Erin Darke , whom he met on the set of Kill Your Darlings . There were rumours and stories of a possible engagement in mid @-@ 2014 , but Darke 's father Ian Darke denied there were any such plans in December 2014 . 
   
   = = = Views and activism = = = 
   
   Radcliffe is an atheist . He has been quoted as saying : " I 'm an atheist , and a militant atheist when religion starts impacting on legislation " , and in a separate interview , he stated ; " I 'm very relaxed about it [ being an atheist ] . I don 't preach my atheism , but I have a huge amount of respect for people like Richard Dawkins who do . Anything he does on television , I will watch " . 
   Radcliffe is a supporter of the Labour Party . Until 2012 Radcliffe had publicly supported the Liberal Democrats , and before the 2010 general election Radcliffe endorsed Nick Clegg , the Lib Dem leader . In 2012 , however , Radcliffe switched his allegiance to Labour , citing disappointment with the performance of Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems in government , and approving of the Labour leader , Ed Miliband . In September 2015 , he endorsed Jeremy Corbyn in the 2015 leadership contest to succeed Miliband . He is a supporter of a British republic . At the age of sixteen , Radcliffe became the youngest non @-@ royal ever to have an individual portrait in Britain 's National Portrait Gallery ( NPG ) . 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 ; it was then moved to the NPG where it resides . 
   Speaking out against homophobia , Radcliffe began filming public service announcements in 2009 for The Trevor Project , promoting awareness of gay teen suicide prevention . 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 and , for his work for the organisation , he was given the " Hero Award " in 2011 . 
   Radcliffe has supported various charities . He designed the Cu @-@ Bed for Habitat 's VIP Kids range ( a cube made of eight smaller ones which can be made into a bed , chaise @-@ longue or chair ) with all the royalties from the sale of the bed going 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 the charity 's Candle for Care program . In 2008 he was among several celebrities who donated their old glasses to an exhibit honouring victims of the Holocaust . During the Broadway run of Equus he auctioned off a pair of jeans and other items worn in the show , for New @-@ York @-@ based Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS. and presenting at the 2011 Gypsy of the Year competition . He has also donated money to Get Connected UK , a London @-@ based free confidential national helpline for troubled youth . 
   Radcliffe is a fan of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League . 
   
   = = Filmography = = 
   
   
   = = Awards and nominations = = 
   
   
   