Today we have new details from casting director Janet Hirshenson, who reveals the casting process wasn’t easy by any means, along with the unusual yet perfect reason why Daniel Radcliffe was cast in the role of a lifetime as Harry Potter.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the very first Harry Potter movie, 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, which started the lucrative franchise and introduced the world to three little-known actors who would go on to become global superstars, Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley).
Here’s what Janet Hirshenson revealed about why Daniel Radcliffe beat out an unspecified young actor, who was the only other top choice for the role.
The franchise also continued on the London West End stage with the new play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which will debut on Broadway in 2018.