[31] After one of his mother's casting agent friends secured him an audition, he made his acting debut at age ten in BBC One's two-part adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield (1999),[32] portraying the title character as a young boy.

[36][37] Rowling had been searching for an unknown British actor to personify the character, and the film's director Chris Columbus recalled thinking, "This is what I want.

Radcliffe received a seven-figure salary for the lead role, but asserted that the fee was "not that important" to him;[43] his parents chose to invest the money for him.

It is wonderful to see a young hero who is so scholarly looking and filled with curiosity and who connects with very real emotions, from solemn intelligence and the delight of discovery to deep family longing," wrote Bob Graham of the San Francisco Chronicle.

[48] The future of the franchise was put into question when Radcliffe, Watson, and co-star Rupert Grint hesitated to sign on to continue their roles.

Radcliffe stated that director David Yates and co-star Imelda Staunton made Order of the Phoenix the "most fun" film to work on in the series.

[51] Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson left imprints of their hands, feet, and wands in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

[54][55] This decision drew criticism from the series' fans, but Radcliffe defended the split, stating that it would have been impossible to properly adapt the final novel into a single film.

"[63] In 2002, Radcliffe made his stage debut as a celebrity guest in a West End production of The Play What I Wrote, directed by Kenneth Branagh—who also appeared with him in the second Harry Potter film.

[2][3] At age seventeen, in a bid to demonstrate that he was prepared for adult roles,[72] Radcliffe starred in a West End revival of Peter Shaffer's play Equus at the Gielgud Theatre.

[75] Charles Spencer of The Telegraph wrote that the actor "displays a dramatic power and an electrifying stage presence that marks a tremendous leap forward."

He added: "I never thought I would find the diminutive (but perfectly formed) Radcliffe a sinister figure, but as Alan Strang ... there are moments when he seems genuinely scary in his rage and confusion.

Radcliffe continued in the lead role, starring alongside Kate Mulgrew, Anna Camp, and his Harry Potter co-star Richard Griffiths.

[80] After voicing a character in The Simpsons episode "Treehouse of Horror XXI" in late 2010,[81] Radcliffe debuted as J. Pierrepont Finch in a 2011 Broadway revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

[84] Both the actor and production received favourable reviews,[85] with USA Today commenting: "Radcliffe ultimately succeeds not by overshadowing his fellow cast members, but by working in conscientious harmony with them – and having a blast in the process.

[93] In 2013, he portrayed American beat poet Allen Ginsberg in the thriller drama Kill Your Darlings, directed by John Krokidas.

[103] Radcliffe starred as Igor in a science fiction horror film Victor Frankenstein (2015), directed by Paul McGuigan and written by Max Landis.

[109] The film received an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes with the consensus reading, "The unsettling Imperium boasts troublingly timely themes and a talented cast led by Daniel Radcliffe as an undercover FBI agent infiltrating a ring of white supremacists.

[113] Radcliffe returned to Broadway in the ninety-minute comedy play The Lifespan of a Fact at Studio 54 Theatre with Bobby Cannavale and Cherry Jones.

[114] In 2019, Radcliffe starred as Craig in the TBS comedy limited series Miracle Workers based on the book by Simon Rich.

[116] In 2020, Radcliffe starred as Miles in the action comedy film Guns Akimbo directed by Jason Lei Howden and co-starring Samara Weaving and Natasha Liu Bordizzo.

[123] In early 2022, Radcliffe returned to the stage acting alongside Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez in the New York Theatre Workshop revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along, in which he played Charley Kringas.

In 2012, however, he switched his political alignment to Labour, citing disillusionment with the performance of Clegg and the Liberal Democrats while in government, and approving of then-Labour leader Ed Miliband.

Speaking out against homophobia, he began filming public service announcements in 2009 for The Trevor Project, promoting awareness of gay teen suicide prevention.

[144][147] In June 2020, amid controversy over Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling's remarks on gender identity — which many have condemned as transphobic — Radcliffe penned an essay published by The Trevor Project in which he voiced support for the transgender community and expressed regret that Rowling's statements had tarnished fans' experience of the Harry Potter books.

[148][149] Radcliffe splits his time between homes in the Fulham area of London[150] and the West Village neighbourhood of New York City's Manhattan borough.

[157] In March 2020, he appeared as the guest on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, where he discussed his alcohol misuse during his teens and his decision to become teetotal, and how his parents' support and staying in his native England helped him cope with fame.

[162][163] He appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List in 2006, which estimated his personal fortune to be £14 million, making him one of the richest young people in the UK.

[179] Radcliffe has expressed his fondness for hip hop music and admitted to having "an obsession with memorising complicated, lyrically intricate and fast songs".

[180][181] His favourite films include 12 Angry Men, A Matter of Life and Death, Dr. Strangelove, Little Miss Sunshine and Jason and the Argonauts.