Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe says every child actor should have mandatory therapy as he reflects on growing up in the spotlight

Daniel Radcliffe believes all child actors should be required to have therapy, drawing on his own experiences with fame and growing up in the public eye.

The 36-year-old actor, who became famous at age 11 playing Harry Potter in the films, shared that while he lacked certain advantages, he still considered himself fortunate.

In an interview on Tuesday, Daniel shared a story he’d heard about a young actor who tragically died by suicide after battling mental health issues.

It’s funny, people always seem to think I have this perfect life, and honestly, it makes it really difficult to talk about when things are tough. It feels like I don’t even deserve to complain, and it’s a really hard feeling to shake.

It would be really helpful to have therapy available for everyone. I think it’s best to start going before you’re in crisis, that way you’ll have the tools to express what you’re going through.

Growing up, we didn’t have access to those kinds of tools or opportunities. It was the early 2000s in England, and that way of thinking just hadn’t caught on yet.

He shared on Bustle’s One Nightstand that the shoot went smoothly thanks to a supportive crew. He emphasized they were fortunate to have such good people looking out for them, and it was more luck than anything else.

This follows his recent plea to Harry Potter fans: he asked them not to burden the new TV series’ young actors by comparing them to the original cast.

The actor said he doesn’t want to be a ‘weird spectral phantom’ in the children’s lives.

Dominic McLaughlin will star as Harry Potter, alongside Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, in the new HBO television series based on J.K. Rowling’s magical world.

Daniel acknowledged that Dominic is likely to achieve greater success than he did, and asked fans to give the new generation of stars space to develop their careers, while also addressing worries about the pressures of early fame.

He believes becoming famous at a young age can actually be simpler, because the strangeness of fame becomes such a normal part of life that it doesn’t feel as shocking or unusual when it happens.

There was a lot of concern about taking care of the young actors once they were cast. If that’s what people are worried about, one way to help is to simply respect their privacy and not constantly ask them about their personal lives.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Daniel expressed his desire to avoid being a strange or unsettling presence in his children’s lives and simply allow them to live their own lives.

He explained that things are changing, and a new generation will surpass him. He’s confident that Dominic, in particular, will be even more successful than he has been.

I figured things out through experience. Looking back, I’m much more forgiving of my past actions, and they don’t bother me as much now that I’ve had time to reflect.

The actor shared some advice, saying it’s important to enjoy the experience and rely on the film crew. While many people imagine being guided by established British actors, he clarified that those actors weren’t there to raise or mentor them personally – that wasn’t their role.

We became very close to the crew, and they quickly became some of my best friends. I’m still very close with them today.

The HBO series has added Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, Louise Brealey as Madam Hooch, and Anton Lesser – famous for playing Qyburn in Game of Thrones – as Garrick Ollivander to its cast.

Bel Powley and Daniel Rigby were announced the Mr and Mrs Dursley earlier this year.

Award-winning actress Janet McTeer will play Professor McGonagall, and talented newcomer Paapa Essiedu will take on the challenging role of Severus Snape, previously portrayed by the beloved Alan Rickman.

2026-03-11 18:04

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