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Harry Potter and the magical mystery of Daniel Radcliffe
May 24, 2004
"It�s astonishing � it�s really, really, really scary but it�s brilliant," said Daniel Radcliffe, above the screams and gurgles of teenage girl-fans outside New York�s Radio City Hall.
Watching the Harry Potter movies, you�d be forgiven for thinking that young ladies would find Radcliffe as sexually exciting as a wooden dishcloth, but no. They seem to like the fact that he is a wizard.
And very rich.
Daniel Radcliffe is Britain�s second wealthiest teenager. Only Prince Harry is richer than Daniel, but Prince Harry with his ruddy face and stupid drug-addled eyes can�t hold a candle to nice, clean-cut Daniel when it comes to girl-appeal. Besides, Daniel can ride a broomstick and do spells.
Can�t he?
Not since Anthony Perkins played Norman Bates, and was spat at and pushed in the street by scared and confused morons, has an actor been so thoroughly identified with his character. Rowling�s fantasy world has infected the simple eyes and simple minds of Harry Potter fans to such a degree that, for many, Radcliffe has simply become Potter.
It is practically impossible to conceive of Radcliffe playing another character on screen. Unless it�s twenty years from now, and it�s one of those �Scary Movie� style spoofs in which he plays �Barry Potter� � a washed up version of Harry Potter who drinks too much, doesn�t shave, and gets his spells mixed up to hilarious effect.
The mixing up of fantasy and reality in the world of Potter is perfectly illustrated by this photo caption from rediff.com...
In the picture: A stunning Emma Watson is flanked by Ron Weasley and Daniel Radcliffe on either side.
Good of Ron to take the time out from his wizarding to attend the premiere.
Actually, now we mention him, Rupert Grint / Ron Weasley has got the real sex appeal in the Potter cast. He's starting look a bit like Mick Jagger - or even a young Robin Askwith (and as everyone knows: you can't get any sexier than Askwith).
And Grint can actually act. He's going to have no trouble sloughing off the robes of Weasley. The girls are going to be screaming at him long after the world of Radcliffe has gone silent. Silent but for the soft creaking of loneliness and whisky.
What does the creaking of whisky sound like?
Ask Daniel in twenty years.