To many people, Daniel Radcliffe is Harry Potter, plain and simple. After all, he played the role for years and years in countless movies. He spent basically all of his teenage years playing the role. So, even though he's an adult now and those days are long behind him, many people can only remember him as that one character.

Radcliffe, however, has been doing his best to remedy that. He's been consistently taking on challenging, interesting roles to show his chops as an actor. And it's not because he's ungrateful for all the success that Harry Potter brought him—he knows he owes a lot to the character. However, he's ready to move on and tackle different types of roles, and he's been doing a phenomenal job at it.

However, how much do fans actually know about Daniel Radcliffe rather than the character he's best known for? Sure, we know that he got his start in the industry when he was just a kid. Sure, he was the one chosen to play a character that countless other young actors would have loved to play. There's a lot more to learn about him, though—that's why we've got 20 little-known facts about the HP star Daniel Radcliffe.

20 His Mother Worked In The Entertainment Industry

Many child actors have parents who know absolutely nothing about the entertainment industry. They may be adults, but they don't have any expertise when it comes to negotiating contracts and knowing the ins and outs of movie sets. Radcliffe had a bit of a different experience because his mother actually was in the movie industry—she was a casting agent and worked on several BBC films.

Obviously, his mother didn't push him into the industry—that was a decision that Radcliffe made himself. However, it must have been really helpful during the nervewracking audition process to have someone by his side who knew all about it.

19 He Got His Debut Role In A BBC Adaptation Of David Copperfield

Given how young they were when the movies started, for many cast members, the Harry Potter films were their first ever acting gigs. That wasn't the case for Daniel Radcliffe. He obviously didn't have a huge body of work under his belt—he was young!—but he did have a role in another movie based on a book.

He managed to play the young David Copperfield in a BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' beloved novel David Copperfield. He got a peek into what the whole acting experience was like and obviously liked it enough to audition for the role that would end up changing his life.

18 He Once Accidentally Poisoned Himself On Set

When hearing that Radcliffe once almost poisoned himself on set, chances are you'd assume it was on the set of the Harry Potter films. After all, there were always crazy potions being mixed up—perhaps one of those had an ingredient that was a little icky. However, that's not the case—Radcliffe actually had a bit of a tricky experience on the set of the movie Horns.

Apparently, the filming was being done in a super chilly Canada location, and there was a lot of anti-freeze on set to help prevent pipes from freezing in the cold. Obviously, not all the anti-freeze was labeled clearly, because Radcliffe ended up getting his hands on a bottle and wound up getting quite ill!

17 He Has Published Poetry Under A Pen Name

Obviously, actors are creative people. After all, they have to bring a character to life on screen. It's about more than just memorizing lines—you have to convey a whole personality. That definitely takes a fair bit of creativity! However, it turns out Daniel Radcliffe is creative in a literary way as well—something that his literary agent father probably instilled in him.

Not only does he write poetry, but he actually published poetry under a pen name years ago. He ended up getting four poems published in Rubbish magazine, under the pen name Jacob Gershon. Who knew?! So, if you ever see anything written by a man called Jacob Gershon, look twice—it may be Radcliffe's work.

16 He's A Big Cricket Fan

In Hollywood, you'll constantly see celebrities sitting courtside at Los Angeles Lakers games. And, you'll even see them in the VIP boxes at football or hockey games—after all, if you love sports and you can afford some amazing tickets, why not? Radcliffe is a huge fan of a sport that many in North America have barely heard of—it's more of an obsession across the pond. We're talking about cricket.

Apparently, Daniel is such a huge fan of cricket that he was a guest on a BBC cricket segment called View from the Boundary on his 18th birthday. He gushed about his favourite player and even talked about his own time playing the sport.

15 He Earned Around $145,000 For His Role In The First Harry Potter Movie

It's not uncommon for actors to earn much less during the first season of a television show or the first movie in a franchise than the ones that follow. After all, if you're an unknown being cast, the studio wants to make sure that audiences will respond to the project and that you'll do a good job. For the first Harry Potter film, according to Project Casting, Radcliffe was paid $145,000.

It's definitely no small sum—especially to a child—but it's certainly quite modest by Hollywood standards. Obviously, they wanted to make sure that the lead actor was a hit with fans. He was, and by the second movie, that sum skyrocketed to $3 million and just kept climbing.

14 He's Only Five Feet Five Inches Tall

Many people think that all the leading men in Hollywood are over six feet tall. They have a commanding presence and are usually taller than their female co-stars, so it's a fair assumption, right? Well, not exactly. There's a lot of ways of fooling the audience with angles, and many actors are actually much shorter than you might think—including Daniel Radcliffe.

The Potter superstar is only five foot five, which isn't exactly tiny, but is fairly short in comparison to many other actors. However, it obviously hasn't slowed him down in the slightest—he's proven he can do intense action scenes just like other actors in the business.

13 His Parents Initially Didn't Want Him To Audition For The Role Of Harry Potter

Hollywood isn't an easy place, even if you're participating while still keeping your home base somewhere else. So, though Radcliffe wouldn't pack up and move to California at 11, he would become part of that world if he was cast as Harry Potter. Understandably, his parents were a little bit hesitant at the idea of exposing their son to the industry.

In fact, they almost didn't want him to audition for the role. They wanted their son to have a normal childhood. However, the director of the first film, Chris Columbus, really wanted to see Radcliffe audition—he just felt that he had found his Harry Potter. Turns out, he was right!

12 Cameron Diaz Was His First Celebrity Crush

Because he got famous so young, Daniel Radcliffe had a bit of an unusual experience when it comes to celebrity crushes. At an age where many kids had posters of celebs taped to their bedroom walls, he was walking the red carpet right alongside them. However, that doesn't mean he didn't go through the usual teenage crushes—he absolutely did.

And, he even spilled about who he had his eye on back in the day! It turns out, his first ever celebrity crush was the blonde California girl Cameron Diaz. Like countless other teen boys, he had pictures of her taped to his bedroom wall.

11 He Could Eat Eggs Benedict Every Day

Daniel Radcliffe is probably used to early call times and being on set at the crack of dawn. After all, that's what's required of you when you're filming certain types of projects. And, there's a particular breakfast dish that he'll likely never be able to resist were it to pop up at craft services—eggs Benedict.

Radcliffe has joked before that he could easily eat eggs Benedict for breakfast every single day. I mean, who can blame him? A perfectly toasted English muffin, a flawlessly poached egg, a bit of meat, a creamy hollandaise sauce—what's not to love? It's the perfect breakfast.

10 He Enjoys Going To The Gym

Whether they love working out or absolutely loathe it, most celebrities go to the gym on a regular basis. After all, the way they look is a huge part of their job. Even if they're not training for a specific role, they need to stay in a particular type of shape.

For Daniel Radcliffe, getting himself to the gym isn't quite as challenging as it is for other actors, because he actually enjoys it. And, he likes the fact that if he trains hard in the gym, he's free to indulge in all the burgers and treats he wants. Sounds like a plan to us!

9 He's A Huge Bookworm

Most people think of Emma Watson's character Hermione Granger when they think of bookworms in the Harry Potter universe. In real life, though, it turns out that Radcliffe himself is quite the reader. He loves everything from the classics to unique literary works. In fact, the novel The Master and Margarita left such an impression on him that he travelled to Moscow to visit the author Mikhail Bulgakov's apartment.

Who knows, perhaps one day he'll step behind the scenes in a producing role and adapt a few of his favourite novels for the big screen—we know he'd do an amazing job at it!

8 He Enjoys Cooking

For years, Radcliffe probably didn't need to learn much about cooking. After all, he was constantly on set and had easy access to things like craft services. He didn't need to prepare his own after school snacks. As an adult, though, he's been getting more comfortable in the kitchen—and he's admitted that he actually really enjoys cooking.

He obviously loves the experience of going out to eat as well, particularly when he's in New York, but he also really enjoys puttering around in the kitchen at home. He doesn't seem passionate enough to be one of those celebrities who ends up releasing a cookbook, but who knows—perhaps Daniel Radcliffe's Magical Meals is forthcoming.

7 He Suffers From Mild Dyspraxia

It can seem like celebrities live dream lives. After all, they live in luxurious homes, usually have staff to help with things like errands, and get huge paychecks. What's not to love? However, that doesn't mean they're immune from all the concerns of the world, like health issues.

Radcliffe has been honest about the fact that he has a mild form of dyspraxia, a neurological condition that can affect an individual's motor skills. It can make things like writing difficult, which is one of the reasons Radcliffe says he didn't do the best at school and preferred to focus on acting instead.

6 He's An Only Child

We have to admit, we always wonder about how strange it must be for the siblings of celebrities. After all, you grow up with a regular sibling. Then, all of a sudden, they're superstars that everyone around the world has heard of—and you're still just a regular person. It would be even stranger if your sibling shot to fame when you were both just children.

Radcliffe never had to have that particular experience, though—he's an only child. When the movies become an international success and Radcliffe became known around the world, his parents only had to focus on one child, which was probably a whole lot easier.

5 If He Wasn't An Actor, He May Have Become An Archaeologist

Acting isn't exactly a guaranteed professional path, and it certainly isn't an easy one. So, many actors end up having a bit of a backup plan in mind. Radcliffe didn't really have to think too hard about his because, well, he succeeded at an age where many other celebrities aren't even thinking about entering the entertainment industry.

However, if he hadn't ended up getting cast as Harry Potter, and decided acting wasn't really for him after all, he would have taken a totally different path—as an archaeologist. Radcliffe has admitted before that he's really interested in ancient history and thinks it would be an absolute blast to unearth pieces of history.

4 He Can Recite The Periodic Table Of Elements

Fans of Daniel Radcliffe have likely seen him showing off his rapping skills on his various late night show appearances. The man can clearly memorize lyrics! And, it should come as no surprise—memorizing lines is a huge part of his job, and obviously, he's developed the skill over years in the industry.

And, it turns out, he applied his memorization skills to something a little more scientific than rap lyrics—the periodic table of elements. A video on YouTube apparently taught him to recite the entire periodic table. We're not entirely sure when or where that would come in handy, but hey—why not?

3 He Loves Cheesy Sci Fi Movies

It's always interesting to learn about what types of movies celebrities enjoy watching in their own down time. More often than not, it's an entirely different genre than the one they're most known for. Many comedians, for example, don't really love watching comedies, and would instead prefer to watch gritty dramas if they have a choice.

Daniel Radcliffe isn't the type to sit down and watch fantasy flicks—after all, he starred in them for years! Instead, he's apparently a huge fan of cheesy sci-fi movies like Sharknado. Hey, you like what you like! We love that he's not afraid to admit he loves cheesy films rather than just the critically acclaimed classics.

2 His Favourite Spot In New York City Is Central Park

Though he obviously spends a lot of his time in London, Radcliffe also spends a fair amount of time in New York City. The Big Apple is kind of his home away from home. And, though you might assume his favourite spot is a tucked away, private, celebrities-only type of club, it's the exact opposite. His favourite spot in NYC, it turns out, is Central Park! We can imagine why he would find it appealing—after all, it's basically a slice of calm paradise in the middle of an urban jungle.

However, we're surprised that he can navigate Central Park without being mobbed by fans. Apparently, New Yorkers are just a lot more respectful of celebrities than people in Hollywood—there doesn't seem to be nearly as much paparazzi swarming!

1 Australia Is His Favourite Country To Visit

Over the years, Radcliffe has had the chance to travel all over the world for his job. Whether it's for filming particular projects on location or press tours to promote his projects, he's definitely a frequent flier. However, if you ever wondered which country in particular was his favourite to visit, the answer is Australia.

We're not sure exactly what it is about the land down under that he loves so much, but there was just something about that country that appealed to him. Who knows—perhaps one day, in addition to his homes in the UK and New York City, he'll buy a little bachelor pad somewhere in Australia for vacations.

Sources: Fame10, IMDB, Us Magazine, Vogue

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