By Kristina Moskalenko
From Harry Potter to Skinhead FBI Agent—Inside the Radical Reinvention of Daniel Radcliffe
He could’ve retired young, bought a private island, and vanished into wizarding legend. Instead, Daniel Radcliffe is choosing the hard road—taking on dark, daring roles, shaving his head for undercover FBI thrillers, and refusing to disappear. And he’s got some thoughts about cancel culture, critics, and living your truth.
In a raw and revealing interview, Radcliffe opens up to Kristina Moskalenko about outgrowing the Boy Who Lived, why he’s not afraid to get ugly on screen, and how Victor Frankenstein and Imperium mark a whole new era in his career. Spoiler: it has nothing to do with magic wands—and everything to do with guts.
Kristina Moskalenko: Daniel, hey! You’re looking great. But wait—you shaved your head recently, and in Victor Frankenstein you’ve got a full head of hair again. Is that all fake?
Daniel Radcliffe: Oh yeah. And honestly, I have no idea why anyone would choose to wear wigs or extensions. Zero fun. You can’t touch them, everything’s glued on, you wash your hair and something always falls off. It’s pure stress. No thanks.
Moskalenko: Fair. But tell me—why another Frankenstein movie? There are, like, thirty already.
Radcliffe: True! But ours brings something different. It’s not just a retelling of the classic—it’s a reimagined story that focuses on the clash between science and ethics. And that feels super relevant right now. Plus, there’s plenty of action, too.
Moskalenko: Does anything about modern progress scare you personally?
Radcliffe: Actually, I know a teacher who explains the internet to five-year-olds. She told me there are kids out there whose entire lives were posted online by their parents before they even understood what social media was—before they could say, “Hey, I didn’t sign up for this.” And how will that affect them ten years from now? It’s wild. That’s the real science-vs-ethics debate. I used to think “progress” meant cloning or something. Turns out the real monster is the internet.
Moskalenko: So… are you afraid of cloning?
Radcliffe: A second me walking around out there? Hard pass. That’s genuinely terrifying. I really hope it never happens.
Moskalenko: Your fans might not agree.
Radcliffe: Maybe—until they spend a day with the clone. Then it’s: “Someone get this guy out of here, he won’t stop talking!” [Laughs]
Kristina Moskalenko: Surely there are some things in science that excite you, not terrify you?
Daniel Radcliffe: Of course. A friend of mine is a physicist, and one day she showed me this material called graphene. It’s wild—you can make a smartphone as thin as a sheet of paper from it. Or a rubber ball. Smash it with a hammer? It just turns back into a ball. How cool is that?
Moskalenko: Okay, but in Victor Frankenstein you’re surrounded by some not-so-pleasant inventions. And lately, Daniel, you’ve been taking on some pretty dark roles.
Radcliffe: Everyone’s got a dark side. I just get to explore mine through work.
Moskalenko: How exactly do you tap into that?
Radcliffe: When I need to access anger for a scene, I think about the stuff that genuinely pisses me off.
Moskalenko: Like what?
Radcliffe: People who judge or criticize others. That really gets to me.
Moskalenko: I remember you’re involved with The Trevor Project, supporting LGBTQ+ youth.
Radcliffe: Yeah, I grew up in a circle where no one ever treated gay people like they were different. So when I first encountered real homophobia, and learned that LGBTQ+ teens are six times more likely to attempt suicide… I was furious. It’s insane—people destroying themselves in the 21st century just for being who they are. That should never be happening. Wait, is it true being gay is illegal in Russia?
Moskalenko: Not exactly illegal—but it’s against the law to talk about it publicly.
Radcliffe: That’s rough. I get the sense there’s a strong macho culture there. But look, every country moves toward tolerance at its own pace. I believe Russia will get there eventually.
Moskalenko: Alright, Daniel, let’s ruin your nice guy image a little. Come on—have you ever snapped at someone?
Radcliffe: Honestly? I’d rather chop off my own hand than insult or hurt someone on purpose.
Moskalenko: Uh-huh. You Brits are all so polite. (Both laugh.)
Originally published in the Interview Magazine in Russia: https://interviewrussia.ru/movie/deniel-redkliff-menya-zlyat-lyudi-kotorye-kritikuyut-drugih-0/
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