Daniel Radcliffe first found fame as Harry Potter, but he won his first major acting honor — a Tony Award — more than 20 years after first waving his wand.
The first of eight Harry Potter films was released in 2001 and fans around the world quickly fell in love with Radcliffe’s portrayal of The Boy Who Lived. When he was finally ready to leave Hogwarts behind, Radcliffe tried his hand at some more mature roles, performing in Equus on Broadway and later starring in a handful of experimental indie movies including Horns (2013) and Swiss Army Man (2016).
Since the blockbuster franchise came to an end, the former child star explained why he’s done so much work on the Great White Way. “At a time when the rest of the world was being like, ‘You are always going to be Harry Potter,’ it was Broadway that kind of went, Let’s see what else you can do,” he told CBS Mornings in June 2024, days before he won a Tony in the Best Featured Actor in a Musical category for his role in the musical Merrily We Roll Along.
Scroll down to look back at Radcliffe’s career through the years, from Harry Potter to Broadway, and beyond!
‘You’re a Wizard, Harry’
In 2001, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone gave Radcliffe his big break. “I absolutely think it was because I looked good in the glasses,” he joked to the Sunday Times nearly 15 years after he scored the iconic role.
The Saga Continues
One year later, the second installment of the Harry Potter series hit theaters and fans watched Radcliffe take on the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets.
Third Time’s the Charm
The young Brit returned to Hogwarts in 2004 for the third of what would be eight Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Making His Mark
Radcliffe was joined by costars Rupert Grint and Emma Watson in 2007 as the trio cemented their handprints on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.
From Screen to Stage
Radcliffe made a significant transition to live theater in 2007, starring in a revival of Equus in London’s West End alongside Richard Griffiths and Joanna Christie. The next year, the production was moved to Broadway, earning him a nomination for a Drama Desk Award in 2009.
The Magic Continues
After the sixth installment of the Harry Potter series, The Half-Blood Prince, hit theaters in 2009, Radcliffe scored nominations for Best Male Performance and Global Superstar at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards.
The Beginning of the End
Lifelong Harry Potter fans began to say goodbye to the characters they loved from the beginning as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I premiered in November 2010. Less than one year later, the series was over.
Moving On
After his time at Hogwarts came to an end, Radcliffe tried his hand at musical theatre, joining the cast of the 2011 revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. The production earned nine Tony nominations before Radcliffe was replaced by Darren Criss.
Live, From New York!
Shortly after wrapping his Broadway run, Radcliffe hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time in his career with musical guest Lana Del Rey.
Red Carpet Ready
The Cripple of Inishmaan star hit the red carpet with girlfriend Erin Darke at Radio City Music Hall in NYC for the 2014 Tony Awards. The couple first met on the set of 2013’s Kill Your Darlings. “It’ll be a hell of a story to tell our kids one day because of what our characters do with each other,” Radcliffe later joked of their intimate scenes in the film. “Our characters are meeting and flirting with each other, so there is this kind of sweet record of us just meeting for the first time and flirting.”
Cementing His Stardom
In November 2015, Radcliffe received the major honor of his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While discussing the momentous occasion in front of friends and family, including his parents, he noted that he would “never stop feeling lucky to be” where he is today.
Star of Sundance
Swiss Army Man premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2016 — and the British actor’s career took a turn for the quirky. The film, which also stars Paul Dano and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, details the adventures of a man and a washed up corpse (Radcliffe) and received a number of prestigious nominations after its debut.
Back on the Great White Way
Radcliffe joined Bobby Cannavale and Cherry Jones in the 2018 Broadway adaptation of The Lifespan of a Fact, a high-stakes comedy centered on a determined fact-checker and an overbearing magazine editor.
Making New Magic
In February 2019, Radcliffe’s latest project, Miracle Workers, premiered for its first season on TBS. The show starred Steve Buscemi as God, while Radcliffe played one of his many angels. It was renewed for a second season, which changed the focus to a medieval village ruled by a selfish young king (Radcliffe).
Unbreakable!
Radcliffe joined Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess and Jane Krakowski in Netflix’s interactive special, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend in May 2020. Before the movie’s debut, Kemper gushed over working with the former child star. “I know how mega talented he is, and I know how hard he works at what he does and I was blown away by his professionalism and I was blown away at how funny he was,” she told Entertainment Tonight.
What’s Next?
In July 2021, Radcliffe hinted that he’d be willing to join another major movie franchise — but not in the role fans might expect. “I would love to be in a movie like that but in the instance of [Fast & Furious], if I could have a non-driving part, that would be great,” he joked on the “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast. “Driving on camera is maybe the part of my job that I hate the most. I barely drive in real life. I have a license. But I really am not good at it and don’t really do it. So trying to hit a mark, in a car, is my most hated part of it. I could do some of the admin. I’m sure they must need a lot of that. There must be an administration guy there. Someone has to look after these guys. … Hey, if the producers of the franchise are interested I could get into it.”
A Villainous Turn
Radcliffe returned to box office blockbusters in 2022’s The Lost City opposite Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock, where he played the bad guy, Abigail Fairfax.
Almost a Dad
Us broke the news in March 2023 that Radcliffe and longtime girlfriend Erin Darke were expecting their first child together. “Daniel and Erin are absolutely overjoyed about the pregnancy,” a source exclusively told Us at the time. “It’s a dream come true! They’ve been proudly showing photographs of the ultrasound to their closest family and friends.”
Proud Parents
The proud parents welcomed a son in spring 2023 and took him to the picket line during the SAG-AFTRA strike the following July.
Tony Winner
Radcliffe won his first Tony Award in June 2024 for in the category of Best Featured Actor in a Musical category for his role as Charlie in the Stephen Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along.
“Thank you so much. I’m going to just talk fast and try not to cry,” Radcliffe said as he took the stage before thanking his cast, crew and personal team.
He went on to thank his family for their support: “My mum and dad are here somewhere — happy Father’s Day, dad, I love you both so much. Thank you for playing Sondheim in the car and just, you know, loving me. And my love, Erin, you and our son are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you so much.”
