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You’re (Not Only) A Wizard Harry! 30 Lesser-Known Facts About Daniel Radcliffe

The Song He Knows Like the Back of His Hand

We all have that one song that we can sing flawlessly from start to finish. And in Daniel Radcliffe’s case, such a song is the Eminem classic “The Real Slim Shady.” To any young man growing up during the ’00s, Eminem was the coolest dude in the world, especially after the release of 8 Mile.

“The Real Slim Shady” is the tune that gets Radcliffe all pumped-up and ready to party. He was filmed reciting the lyrics while at a pub, and he was also caught singing the song at a karaoke party in 2016.

He Fell in Love on the Set of Kill Your Darlings

The movie explored the rise of the beatnik movement, and Daniel Radcliffe played the notable American poet Allen Ginsberg. In Kill Your Darlings, he falls in love with a woman named Gwendolyn, played by the actress Erin Darke.

The romantic tension between Ginsberg and Gwendolyn eventually developed into something real, with Radcliffe and Darke turning the on-screen fling into a real-life love story. The two lovebirds have been together since 2013, and the fans of the couple cannot wait for the two to tie the knot.

Social Media? No, Thank You

A 30-year-old celebrity without a social media presence is a rarity in this day and age. But Daniel Radcliffe has admitted that he doesn’t plan to open an official Instagram or Twitter account in the future. For now, he’s all about protecting his sanity.

After all, social media is not for everyone. When you’re as famous as Radcliffe, you need to be prepared to deal with a lot of criticism coming from Internet users. Radcliffe is smarter than that. In a 2016 interview, he said he believes keeping away from the Internet would help him to “stay more sane.”

Radcliffe Is Jacob Gershon

Unless you’re a die-hard Daniel Radcliffe fan, you’ve likely never heard of Jacob Gershon. After all, you were not supposed to! Gershon was Radcliffe’s secret pseudonym, which he used to publish a set of poems by the time he was 17 years old.

Fans found out all about it in 2009, but there were some clues in Gershon’s poetry which pointed directly back to Daniel Radcliffe, such as the verse “Oh, but who cares? I make five grand a day!”. Other slightly cringe-worthy verses include the overdone “My carnal exploits have been quite quixotic!…” and the quite braggy “I lie with two long-legged, glistening blondes.”

He Loves Spider-Man

There’s no doubt about who Daniel Radcliffe’s favorite superhero is. The British actor relates closely to Spider-Man, and he even confessed to having dressed as Spidey during a trip to San Diego’s Comic-Con. The full-cover costume was perfect for keeping his identity secret.

We can all imagine Radcliffe playing Peter Parker in a future Spider-Man movie, but he’s probably a bit mature at the moment to appear as the teenage superhero on the big screen. It’s no biggie; Radcliffe thinks Tom Holland did an excellent job at playing the arachnidan Marvel hero.

Daniel’s Celebrity Crushes

Growing up in the ’00s, Daniel Radcliffe had some celebrity crushes. Cameron Díaz was one of his favorite actresses, as well as Drew Barrymore. But he also had a crush on Kirsten Dunst, probably because he was such a die-hard Spider-Man fan.

In a BuzzFeed interview, he recalled the classic moment in which Spider-Man kisses MJ (played by Dunst) while standing upside down. We can imagine a young Daniel Radcliffe wishing very hard that he was Tobey Maguire at that moment!

It’s Not “Just Ping-Pong” for Daniel

To tennis fans, ping-pong may seem like a childish game. But there’s a lot of athletic prowess, agility, and competitiveness to it. Just ask Daniel Radcliffe. While filming the Order of the Phoenix, he got super caught up in the table tennis game, to the point of admitting he felt frustrated every time he lost.

He played mainly against his hairdresser, Will, who’s probably a talented ping-pong player. He also confidently pointed out that he believes he would be able to beat his co-star Rupert Grint in a tennis table match.

He Has a Very Nerdy Party Trick

We all need that one party trick to break the ice at a special occasion. And celebrities have a particular obligation of impressing others at social events. But when it comes to Radcliffe’s party trick, we’re not sure if he’s hitting all the right requirements.

Party tricks can be jokes, unique physical abilities, and even gross things. But Radcliffe’s party-starter is his ability to recite all the elements of the periodic table. Doesn’t sound much like fun, does it? But Radcliffe loves chemistry, and he has even cited that the mathematician/musician Tom Lehrer is one of his heroes.

He’s a Tongue-Rolling Master

Daniel Radcliffe would perhaps be more popular at parties if he made the most out of his tongue-rolling abilities. In a 2019 video produced by GQ, he showcased his talent to roll his tongue in not just one, not two, but three different curves!

Radcliffe talked briefly about it and said that his special talent was probably genetic. He also incentivized fans to try it out because if you’re able to roll your tongue in two, you’ll most likely be able to achieve the three-curve tongue shape, too!

He’s Not the Finest Shaver

Daniel Radcliffe shared the story with Jimmy Fallon. He was getting ready to attend the premiere of Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets when he decided to get rid of his annoying teenage mustache. The only problem? He ended up shaving his sideburns way too deep into his hairline.

Fortunately, Radcliffe was able to count with the support of a good hairstylist who covered-up for the mishap. He ended up attending the premiere with a pretty cool hairstyle and no signs of a prepubescent mustache.

Harry Potter’s Glass-less Glasses

Years before glass-less glasses became a hipster trend, Daniel Radcliffe was doing it in Harry Potter. Due to reflective issues, most glasses used in movies don’t have lenses. But that hasn’t prevented Radcliffe from taking two pairs of Harry Potter prop glasses home with him!

In 2011, he told the Daily Mail that he has kept the prop glasses and that he’s often surprised by how tiny they look now. Considering the rising number of Harry Potter fans and collectors, it was a smart move! Ten to 20 years from now, those prop glasses will probably be worth a small fortune.

His Favorite Movie is a 1957 Classic

Daniel Radcliffe has an excellent taste for cinema, and his favorite movie is an often-forgotten 1957 classic: 12 Angry Men. The movie was filmed almost entirely in one single location and follows the struggle of a group of 12 jurors trying to reach a unanimous decision.

It’s a great film exploring the nuances of decision-making, social responsibility, and of the democratic process. If you haven’t seen it yet, give it a try! After all, it comes with the seal of approval from Daniel Radcliffe.

He’s 100% Gryffindor

In 2014, Daniel Radcliffe did a Reddit AMA and answered to the questions posted by users. When asked about what his real-life Hogwarts house was, Radcliffe had no doubts: he’s in Gryffindor!

Maybe he’d just been playing for Gryffindor for too long, but Radcliffe said he cannot imagine himself with any other color. Like your favorite sports club, your Hogwarts house is hard to change! Hmm, we wonder if Tom Felton, the actor who played Draco Malfoy, would characterize himself as a Slytherin.

A Fart Machine?

Filming a major motion picture is stressful and can be frustrating. For that reason, it’s only standard that the cast and crew will try to light up the mood once in a while. That was precisely what happened during the shoot of a particularly tense scene in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

The prank was reportedly planned by actors Alan Rickman and Michael Gambon and involved a fart machine. Right when a dramatic developing shot was supposed to happen, a considerable fart noise that seemed to come from Radcliffe filled the room. Everybody laughed, including Radcliffe, who admitted to being “a bit embarrassed.”

Hagrid Doesn’t Speak Turkish!

Pranked by Rickman and Gambon’s fart machine, Radcliffe had a particular prank of his own in-store. His victim was Robbie Coltrane, the actor who played the lovable colossal keeper Hagrid, and his method was the one of a bratty hacker.

He grabbed Coltrane’s phone and changed the language to Turkish, leaving the actor completely clueless when it came to using his phone. Recalling the event, Coltrane said that Radcliffe was “hankerin’ to be a comedian.”

3 Days of Fever After an On-Set Accident

In 2013, Daniel Radcliffe joined the cast of Horns, one of his first post-Harry Potter movies. Everything was going fine until the moment he decided to drink from an unlabeled bottle of water. It turns out the water was filled with antifreeze.

He talked about the experience in an interview with Conan O’Brien and admitted that he struggled with fever for three days after the mishap. Antifreeze poisoning symptoms include headaches, vomit, grogginess, lack of coordination, and fatigue. Luckily, it all turned out okay for the young actor.

He Suffers From a Neurological Disorder

Don’t worry; it’s a very mild condition in Daniel’s case. But he does suffer from a disorder known as dyspraxia, which affects the planning of movements and some motor skills. A severe case of dyspraxia could affect Radcliffe’s career profoundly, but he’s luckily able to function normally.

In a 2008 interview with The Daily Mail, Radcliffe said that his dyspraxia manifests mainly through day-to-day activities, which demand an advanced level of coordination, such as tying his shoelaces. He also believes the disorder causes his bad handwriting style.

He Loves Tattoos, But He Won’t Get One

It’s not like he doesn’t have the money to pay for a world-class tattoo artist. And he’s also not afraid of needles. He’s simply an actor. And when your job is all about being ready to play whoever on the big screen, it’s better to postpone that trendy tattoo you always wanted to get.

Radcliffe talked about his tattoo “problem” in an interview with Wired magazine. He confessed that he doesn’t want to stress his make-up artist friends by forcing them to work extra time to cover-up his tattoos.

Why Harry Has Brown Eyes

There are slight differences between the Harry Potter movies and the original J.K. Rowling books. One of such is Harry’s eye-color, which was supposed to be green. In the books, Harry’s eyes were green because his late mother, Lily Potter, also had green eyes.

Reportedly, Radcliffe did try to use green contact lenses during the filming of the movies, but he had an extreme allergic reaction. To avoid trouble, the producers decided to give up on the idea, and Harry Potter’s eyes turned out to be brown, just like Radcliffe’s.

The Song He Knows Like the Back of His Hand

We all have that one song that we can sing flawlessly from start to finish. And in Daniel Radcliffe’s case, such a song is the Eminem classic “The Real Slim Shady.” To any young man growing up during the ’00s, Eminem was the coolest dude in the world, especially after the release of 8 Mile.

“The Real Slim Shady” is the tune that gets Radcliffe all pumped-up and ready to party. He was filmed reciting the lyrics while at a pub, and he was also caught singing the song at a karaoke party in 2016.

His First Username Was Hilarious

For the young men and women who grew up in an Internet-dominated world, recalling your first-ever online username can be a powerful nostalgic experience. But it can also be slightly embarrassing.

Radcliffe’s first AOL username certainly had a bit of both, especially considering it was “dannyboyrad.” It’s certainly not the coolest name in the world, but it could be worse. In an interview with MTV, Radcliffe claimed that the nickname was invented by someone else, as he was probably embarrassed.

What About His Favorite Harry Potter Movie?

It’s a debate for the ages, and not even the most dedicated Harry Potter fans seem to agree on this matter. But Daniel Radcliffe’s favorite Harry Potter movie is The Order of the Phoenix. A controversial pick, especially since the film is deemed by some fans as one of the worst.

Radcliffe justified his pick by mentioning the important role of Sirius Black in the movie, and his relationship with Harry in particular. In a certain way, The Order of the Phoenix marks the transition from the more juvenile early Harry Potter movies to a darker, more adult type of plot.

The Future Collaborations He Dreams Of

Daniel Radcliffe has worked with some of the best, from Helena Bonham Carter to Alan Rickman, not forgetting the beautiful Emma Watson. But he has big dreams of collaborating with some of his favorite actors and directors in the future.

He has listed George Clooney, Jennifer Lawrence, and good-guy Paul Rudd as some he wishes to share the set with. When it comes to directors, Radcliffe dreams of working with the crème de la crème: Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson, Paul Thomas Anderson, and the Coen brothers.

His First Informal Gig

In the movie Trainwreck, Radcliffe and actress Marisa Tomei deliver a hilarious cameo in the form of an on-film motion picture called ‘The Dogwalker’, which satirizes an indie film. But the story of how Radcliffe got the part is even more interesting.

It all happened so casually that Radcliffe later admitted he wasn’t sure it was for real. Director Judd Apatow simply asked him if he wanted to appear in the movie, and Radcliffe said ‘yes’ without being sure if he was truly committing. In the end, it made for a hilarious scene in a very funny Amy Schumer movie.

A Who’s Who Featuring Elijah Wood

They’re both former child actors, short fellows, and blue-eyed sweet-looking guys. So, Daniel Radcliffe and Elijah Wood get often mixed-up in the minds of some fans. To make it worse, they have both played high-profile characters in popular fantasy franchises.

In an interview with Wired, Radcliffe mentioned a make-up artist who once insisted that he was in an Elijah Wood movie. We’re guessing Elijah Wood has the same problem, even though Frodo and Harry Potter are completely different characters!

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