Daniel Radcliffe Reveals Something We Basically Suspected All Along
Daniel Radcliffe became one of the most famous faces in the world when he was still just a child thanks to his role as the title character in the Harry Potter film franchise. While he's made some questionable choices in the time since the final movie premiered, the actor has also kept himself busy with a range of other roles. His continued success has also brought him continued fame and a heck of a lot of money. In fact, according to Celebrity Net Worth, the star is estimated to have around $110 million these days. Yeah, wow!
With all of that money, you'd think Radcliffe would be living a lavish lifestyle. However, during an interview for the Full Disclosure Podcast with James O'Brien in March 2020, the star confirmed something that fans have suspected all along. "I don't do a huge amount with my money. I'm not particularly extravagant," he said. "There are moments where I think, 'Man, I'm really bad at being famous.'" That's one way to put it. Or you could simply say that Radcliffe happens to be a public figure who seriously values his private life, which is something he's addressed before.
Daniel Radcliffe's privacy is 'very important'
Daniel Radcliffe may have a career that makes him highly recognizable, but the star still strives to keep a grip on his private life and is pretty successful in doing so. "People probably perceive me as someone who doesn't have very much privacy," the actor told The New York Times in June 2016, while also discussing his role in a play aptly called Privacy. He added that when it comes to, well, privacy, "I still feel like I have a lot and it's very important."
One way that Radcliffe protects his private life is by staying off of social media. You won't find him sharing his political opinions on Twitter and you certainly won't find photos of his latest vacation on Instagram. However, the same can't be said of another Harry Potter star despite the fact that they've admittedly had a hard time dealing with the drawbacks of being famous.
'Harry Potter' alum Emma Watson has also struggled with fame
Emma Watson is another actor who found fame (and fortune) thanks to the Harry Potter movies. She's also someone who aims to keep her personal life private despite embracing social media. The actress, who's willing to step out of the spotlight for an extended period of time when she feels like it's necessary, has also admitted that she feels bad about the fact that she doesn't enjoy fame.
"I've sat in therapy and felt really guilty about it, to be honest," Watson said during a 2019 interview with British Vogue (via the Independent). "Why me? Somebody else would have enjoyed and wanted this aspect of it more than I did. And I struggle with it, I've wrestled a lot with the guilt around that." Watson also admitted that she's found herself thinking: "I should be enjoying this more, I should be more excited and I'm actually really struggling."
"I'm someone's daughter, I am my mother's daughter, I am my father's daughter, I am a sister, I belong to a family, I come from a place, I have roots," the actress said while explaining how she grounds herself when she feels "disconnected."
"There's a whole really big existence and identity that I have, actually, that's really important and weighted and solid that has nothing to do with [fame or fictional characters]." And Watson certainly isn't the only former Harry Potter star who feels like they became lost in a way due to fame.
Rupert Grint said fame is 'dehumanizing'
Rupert Grint hasn't been quite as successful as Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson in the years since he left the wizarding world behind. However, he's still found being famous hard at times. Cast as the franchise's Ron Weasley and becoming a star when he was just 11-years-old, he told the Daily Mail in 2018, "I struggle to remember life before it. It was a weird time and it has taken me a long while to process."
"Just being invisible can still be difficult. Sometimes you just want to go to B&Q," Grint continued, referring to a British retail chain. "I think I lost myself a little bit along the way. With the fame, you're almost being the character, even when you're not in character."
That same year, he told the Independent, "Sometimes it can be quite dehumanizing to have people just taking pictures of you when you're out. To them, you are just this one thing. It's a weird existence." And yet he conceded, "But that's my life. ... In a weird way, you become blasé about it. It becomes normal and you adapt."
We wonder if Radcliffe and Watson also feel like, to some extent, it's become normal. Regardless, stars — who we joke are just like us — definitely deserve their privacy, too.