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This Child Star Drank Heavily as a Teen – Now a New Father, He Doesn’t Want ‘Fame’ for His Son

This boy gained fame as an actor at the age of 10 and grew up on sets.

However, the boy didn’t like the fame he got and drank heavily to cope with it.

Today, the boy is sober, has a girlfriend, is a father, and doesn’t want fame for his son.

The boy at a press conference for the movie "Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone" in London on August 23, 2000 | Source: Getty Images

This boy started acting professionally at the age of 10. He went on to become a child star when he was cast as Harry Potter. After starring in the fantasy and adventure movie series, he was featured in movies such as “Kill Your Darlings,” and “The Lost City.”

The child star enjoyed growing up on the sets as he could get away with many more things than he could while at school. He was still allowed to be a child while acting, so he doesn’t feel like playing Harry Potter at such a young age robbed him of his childhood.

The actor said his childhood on set was fantastic because he was still around many other kids, and he wasn’t attending school regularly. He would have tuition on set, which allowed him to keep on learning. He described this experience as “unconventional” but “so exciting.”

Growing up on set ensured the boy made long-lasting friendships and opened his eyes to the possibilities the world had to offer. Now, as an adult, the actor desires his kids to be around film sets. He wants them to have the freedom to choose if they want to be a part of the world of film, whether in the art department or as part of the crew.

Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and the boy at a press conference for the movie "Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone" in London on August 23, 2000 | Source: Getty Images

As much as the boy loved growing up on movie sets, he found it difficult to deal with the fame that came with being a child star. As he grew up, he found harmful coping mechanisms. In his teen years, he became reliant on alcohol to help him cope with fame and only became sober in 2022, when he turned 32 years old.

Still, the new dad said he was having a great time with his son.

Fame made the boy feel watched when he went into bars as a teen. He would then get drunk to avoid feeling self-conscious and overwhelmed. The fame made him hate acting, but he still had to because his family members relied on him to provide for them with the money he made in the industry. It took a few years and a couple of attempts for the boy to get sober.

The boy in Chiba-prefecture, Japan on December 15, 2002 | Source: Getty Images

The people in his life helped him get sober, but he had to make the decision himself and keep to it. When he became sober, he realized that he actually loved his job so much and didn’t enjoy alcohol at all. Today, the actor is happy with his work, sober, dating his long-term girlfriend, and together they are parents.

The boy in this story is Daniel Radcliffe, who has been dating his girlfriend, Erin Darke, since 2009. Radcliffe opened up about how he would raise his kids even before they became parents. He said he is okay with his kids growing up on set.

Erin Darke and Daniel Radcliffe at a screening of "The Lost City" in New York City on March 14, 2022 | Source: Getty Images

However, he is against the celebrity tag that comes with a child being a star at a young age. The actor said he enjoyed acting from a young age and loves it as an adult. Still, Radcliffe noted that he “wouldn’t want fame for my kid.”

Daniel Radcliffe, his son, and Erin Darke join the picket line in New York City on July 21, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

The actor said he would want his kids to follow their parent’s footsteps into the entertainment industry but that “it’s really the fame side of it that should be avoided at all costs.” Film sets are wonderful places, but Radcliffe wants them to be in settings where kids won’t feel like acting is really going to be a big deal in their lives.

Radcliffe and Darke are now first-time parents. According to the 33-year-old’s representative, he and his girlfriend welcomed a baby boy, but they are keeping other details private. The two haven’t revealed his name or the date he was born, but Radcliffe and Darke were seen in New York City with a stroller.

Still, the new dad said he was having a great time with his son. He noted that Darke was an amazing mother and that their son was wonderful. Radcliffe, who took time off to spend time with his son when he was born, admitted his baby will now be a factor he considers when picking new acting projects going forward.