Daniel Radcliffe, the original Harry Potter, has extended a warm welcome to the young actor set to take on the iconic role in the upcoming television adaptation. The actor made a supportive gesture towards his successor during an appearance on Good Morning America in New York on Tuesday.
A Sweet Exchange Between Wizards
Radcliffe confirmed that he took the initiative to write a letter to 11-year-old Dominic McLaughlin, who was announced in May as the new Harry Potter. "I wrote to Dominic and I sent him a letter and he sent me a very sweet note back," Radcliffe shared with the programme. He was keen to emphasise that he does not want to loom over the new cast, stating, "I do not want to be a spectre in the lives of these children."
His message was one of pure encouragement. "I just wanted to write to [McLaughlin] to say, 'I hope you have the best time, and an even better time than I did – I had a great time, but I hope you have an even better time,'" Radcliffe explained. He expressed a protective fondness for the young cast, adding, "I just see these pictures of him and the other kids and I just want to hug them. They just seem so young."
The New Era of Harry Potter
The new Harry Potter TV series, produced by HBO, is set to be a "faithful adaptation" of J.K. Rowling's books. The casting process revealed the young trio, with Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. The series has also secured a star-studded adult cast including John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
This new interpretation is a monumental undertaking. Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, has stated the series will run for "10 consecutive years," mirroring the long-term commitment of the original film series that ran from 2001 to 2011. The show is scheduled to premiere in 2027.
Radcliffe's Distance from the New Project
Despite his supportive words for the young cast, Radcliffe has made it clear he intends to keep his distance from the new production. This stance comes in the wake of his public disagreement with author J.K. Rowling over trans rights and gender identity issues. In a 2024 statement to E! Online, he said, "I think [the producers] very wisely want to [have] a clean break. And I don't know if it would work to have us do anything in it."
His recent actions show a thoughtful passing of the torch, focusing on the wellbeing of the new generation stepping into the magical world he once called home.
