Casting Harry Potter wasn’t as easy as finding a cute kid who could stare wide-eyed as he was told he’s a wizard. It turns out, he also needed to have the rocks to get down and dirty in a multi-year franchise…even if the actor’s balls hadn’t dropped yet.
In an interview with Huffington Post, casting director Janet Hirshenson chatted about the process of casting Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the first film in what became an eight-part series. Some of the stories were pretty expected, like how director Chris Columbus immediately saw Emma Watson as a rising star. But there were a few surprises.
Apparently, Robin Williams wanted to play Hagrid so badly he called Columbus personally, but he couldn’t have the part because it was a “Brits-only” cast. However, the coolest reveal was the reason why Daniel Radcliffe was chosen as Harry Potter. It wasn’t because he was cute, it was because he had balls.
“There were two [for the part of Harry]. Chris right away liked Daniel, but there were a couple of people who went, ‘Hmm. That other kid’s interesting,’” Hirshenson said. “The other kid was terrific and very vulnerable and very Harry-looking, but besides that, Harry was going to become a very powerful kid, too. And Daniel had both sides. He was very vulnerable, but the other kid ― it was like, he [was] not going to have the balls that Daniel has, to put it that way.”
In short, they picked Radcliffe because they felt he would better portray Harry’s more adult scenes, which include moments of torture, violence, and death. It makes sense that they would want a kid who could play both Harry’s vulnerable and powerful sides, but it’s kind of hilarious hearing it portrayed so bluntly. Luckily for them, Radcliffe came through. Then again, he’s never been shy about showing us that he has balls.
This story originally appeared on Gizmodo
Comments
17 responses to “Daniel Radcliffe Became Harry Potter Because He Had ‘The Balls’”
It wasn’t because he was cute, it was because he had balls.
Uuurgh! Typical sexist Hollywood, only hiring a cisgendered white male because of his genitals! Who’s to say that Harry Potter can’t be a girl!? Or black!? Or trans!? Or Muslim!? You all make me sick with your racist, sexist, transphobe attitudes!!!
sarcasm 😛Internet raaaaaaaaage!!!!!
I’m astronomically outraged! I demand a reboot!
Start a petition
and look at where the link takes us too as well. thank fuck Hogan was able to do a top rope leg drop onto gwakers arse
You know I wonder what would happen if they posted something about a nude wom… oh yeah…
I’m glad Robin Williams never played Hagrid – The Robin Williams part of his personality would have pushed through the character far too much.
I dislike (or, rather, am indifferent to) the movies but I’d tend to agree. I think that Coltrane was probably the closest to my own child/pre-teen imaginations.
He’s played some very dark characters quite well in some of his lesser known films.
Even Good Will Hunting or Dead Poets Society – he did conflicted characters very well.
That being said, I still get the creeps when I think about him in One Hour Photo, and he was also great in Insomnia. I think people tend to forget that he had an incredible talent for acting, not just comedy.
@neo_kaiser the movie is based on a book that fits Daniel Radcliffes appearance stop being so damn petty
That moment it all goes over your head… and you realise it… and its too late to take it back…
I’m not sure how to type the sound of a low flying plane passing overhead, but…
FFFFWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSHHHHHH
He can edit.
But he will always know…
But will you?
Anything that sounds like some kind of boasting about Daniel Radcliffe automatically makes me think of his appearance in Extras.