Daniel Radcliffe is officially passing the torch to the next generation. The 36-year-old actor, who played Harry Potter for a decade across eight films, has nothing but praise for the young star taking over the iconic role in the upcoming HBO series. In a recent interview, Radcliffe made a surprising admission about 11-year-old Dominic McLaughlin, saying he believes the new actor will surpass his own performance.
The original cast member is also asking fans to stop comparing the new trio to himself, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. He wants the young actors to have their own experience without the pressure of living up to the past.
Radcliffe’s Honest Prediction About the New Harry
Speaking with ScreenRant in an interview published February 17, 2026, Radcliffe shared his genuine thoughts about McLaughlin taking over the role. His prediction was surprisingly humble.
“I’m sure Dominic is going to be better than me and better than I was,” Radcliffe said . He acknowledged that he learned the role as he went along, while the new series gives McLaughlin a fresh start. “I learned as I went. I look back at what I did now with a lot more kindness and I find it less embarrassing now that I’m older,” he added .
The original Harry Potter star also reflected on how different things look now compared to when he started filming at age 11. “When you’re 11, and you’re doing something, you’re like, ‘Of course I’m old enough to do this — I’m the oldest I’ve ever been.’ But now when I meet 11-year-olds, I am like, ‘Whoa, that seems nuts,’” Radcliffe told People magazine .
A Personal Letter to Dominic McLaughlin
This isn’t the first time Radcliffe has shown support for his replacement. Last year, he revealed on Good Morning America that he sent a personal letter to McLaughlin after the young actor was cast .
“I wrote to Dominic and sent him a letter and he sent me a very sweet note back,” Radcliffe shared . The message was simple but meaningful. “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” .
McLaughlin later called receiving Radcliffe’s letter “insane” and said “I was going mad” upon getting the support from his predecessor . Rupert Grint also followed suit, writing a letter to Alastair Stout, who takes over the role of Ron Weasley .
Please Don’t Be “Weird Spectral Phantoms”
Beyond his personal support, Radcliffe is making a public plea to fans and the press. He noticed that when the new cast was announced, social media users agreed they needed to “look after these kids” . His response was direct.
“If everyone really means that… one of the things you can do for me is not ask about us — me, Emma, Rupert — all the time,” Radcliffe told ScreenRant .
He explained his reasoning clearly. “I would like not to be weird spectral phantoms in these children’s lives and just to let them get on with it… because it’s going to be a new thing and it’s going to be a different thing” .
Radcliffe wants the new cast to have their own journey without constantly being reminded of the original trio. “I do not want to be a specter in the lives of these children at all,” he emphasized .
The Original Trio Share the Same Feelings
Radcliffe also revealed that he, Watson, and Grint have been privately processing their emotions about watching someone else take over their childhood roles. While they haven’t had deep conversations specifically about the new series, they understand each other completely.
“It’s one of those where I think we all just know how the others feel, because we’re also feeling it,” Radcliffe told People .
He described their shared reaction to seeing photos of McLaughlin, Stanton, and Stout. “You just see the pictures of these kids, and you just want to grab them and hug them. That’s the impulse that I think that we, mainly, all have” .
New Perspective on His Own Childhood Fame
Seeing the young cast has given Radcliffe a fresh look at his own experience growing up in the spotlight. He now understands what his parents went through during those years.
“Honestly, it makes me admire my parents more than I was capable of doing at the time,” he admitted . “Just going like, ‘Wow, you got me through something crazy, and you did it with a huge amount of humor, yeah, it’s a big task’” .
The actor also shared a sweet thought about his own two-year-old son with partner Erin Darke. When asked about showing his child the Harry Potter stories, Radcliffe said he plans to put on the HBO series instead of the films. “Hopefully I can just put that on, and he doesn’t have to watch me in it. That’d be, honestly, the ideal” .
Meet the New Cast of Hogwarts
The HBO original series, which began production in July 2025, will adapt each of J.K. Rowling’s seven books into individual seasons . The show gives creators room to explore stories and characters more deeply than the films could.
The main cast includes:
- Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter
- Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger
- Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley
The supporting cast features established names. John Lithgow takes over from the late Richard Harris and Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore . Janet McTeer steps into the role of Professor McGonagall, played by the late Dame Maggie Smith in the films . Paapa Essiedu will play Severus Snape, a role made famous by Alan Rickman . Nick Frost is set to play Hagrid, with Bel Powley and Daniel Rigby as Petunia and Vernon Dursley .
Filming recently took place at the Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire for Quidditch scenes, the same location used for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005 .
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What Radcliffe Is Doing Now
While the Wizarding World moves forward with a new generation, Radcliffe stays busy with other projects. He recently won a Tony Award for his performance in Merrily We Roll Along on Broadway . His upcoming project is a sports sitcom called The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, where he stars alongside Tracy Morgan. The series premieres February 23, 2026 on NBC .
Despite moving on to new work, Radcliffe remains grateful for his time as Harry Potter. He just wants the new cast to have space to create their own magic.
“I had a great time, but I hope he has an even better time,” Radcliffe said about McLaughlin . “I just see these pictures of him and the other kids and I just want to hug them. They just seem so young. I just look at them and think, ‘Oh it’s crazy I was doing that at that age.’ But it’s also incredibly sweet, and I hope they’re having a great time” .
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