Daniel Radcliffe urges Harry Potter fans to let new stars ‘get on with it’

Daniel Radcliffe became a household name with Harry Potter two decades back – but now, the franchise lead is asking fans to stop going on about him ahead of the new reboot.

The hit JK Rowling franchise is returning to our screens next year with HBO’s TV adaptation, starring young new star Dominic McLaughlin as the titular wizard alongside Arabella Stanton as Hermione and Alastair Stout as Ron.

Speaking about the upcoming reboot, Daniel urged fans and press not to ask the young new stars about himself, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint ahead of its release.

“When these kids got cast, there is a whole thing around the internet being like, ‘We have to look after these kids!'” he told ScreenRant.

“If you really mean that, then one of the things you can do is don’t ask about us – me, Emma [Watson] and Rupert [Grint] – all the time. I would like not to be weird spectral phantoms in these children’s lives.”

He added that fans should “just let them get on with” what will be a “new, different thing”. Radcliffe also predicted that he reckons 11-year-old Dominic will “be better” than he was in the role.

Since Radcliffe hung up his cloak of invisibility for good in 2011, the star has ventured into the theatre world - winning a Tony Award for his performance in Merrily We Roll Along on Broadway. He’s set to appear in upcoming sports sitcom, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, alongside 30 Rock’s Tracy Morgan and Erika Alexander.

Production began last year on HBO’s TV version, which will give each of the seven Harry Potter novels its own series.

John Lithgow will be taking over from late stars Richard Harris and Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore, while Janet McTeer will make her debut as Minerva McGonagall, played by Dame Maggie Smith in the films.

Gangs of London star Paapa Essiedu is set to play Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Severus Snape, with Nick Frost (Hagrid), Luke Thallon (Quirinus Quirrell), Paul Whitehouse (Argus Filch), Bel Powley (Petunia Dursley), Daniel Rigby (Vernon Dursley) and Katherine Parkinson (Molly Weasley) also in the cast.

In January, Katie Leung opened up about her time in the films, having played Harry’s love interest Cho Chang. Admitting that the overnight fame was “a lot to deal with”, she said: “I was super insecure, as any other 16-year-old would be.”

She added that the show’s new stars should “have fun and focus on the work”.