Daniel Radcliffe’s Son Has No Idea His Father Is Famous, and the “Harry Potter” Star Hopes to Keep It That Way (Exclusive)

Lexi Lane, Dave QuinnSun, May 31, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC

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Daniel Radcliffe; Radcliffe holding his son in July 2023
Credit: Getty; Shutterstock -

Daniel Radcliffe shared a humorous moment when his son saw him in a commercial and recognized him as "Dada"

Radcliffe and his partner, actress Erin Darke, welcomed their son in April 2023 and have kept his name private

The actor is currently starring in the interactive Broadway play Every Brilliant Thing, which he finds creatively challenging

Daniel Radcliffe had a close call with his child learning he is famous.

The Every Brilliant Thingstar exclusively told PEOPLE that he was watching the Winter Olympics with his longtime partner, actress Erin Darke, when their son, who turned 3 in April, suddenly saw Radcliffe, 36, in a commercial for the Broadway play.

"I had walked out of the room, and suddenly the ad for the show came up, and he's never seen anything I've done or been aware of any of that stuff," explained the Harry Potter alum. "He just goes, with the tone of voice that was like, 'I'm not crazy right?' He just goes, 'Dada?' Then he was like, 'Did he leave?' because he thought because I left the room that I had then suddenly appeared on the TV."

Daniel Radcliffe and Erin Darke
Credit: Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock

"You know your job is a bulls--- job when you can't describe it to a child," he continued. "As an actor. You know you can explain policeman and fireman and doctor and stuff like that. But when you get to acting, you're like, ‘Yeah, we tell stories, you know, like your books. We sort of act out your stories.’ He's truly so far away from having a concept of what I do, and I'm going to keep him in the dark as long as possible."

Radcliffe and Darke welcomed their son in April 2023, but have kept most details about him private, including his name. The couple first met in 2012 after playing love interests in Kill Your Darlings.

Radcliffe discussed fatherhoodin July 2023 with Entertainment Tonight, saying, "It's great. It's crazy and intense, but he's wonderful and Erin is amazing — it's a real privilege also to have this time with him."

He added at the time, "I was always going to take some time off, which not everyone is able to do, and so I'm able to kind of just be here with him a lot, which is lovely."

Daniel Radcliffe holding his son in July 2023
Credit: Kristin Callahan/Shutterstock

Although the Harry Potter alum had also told Newsweek in 2023 that he “wouldn't want fame for [his] kid,” he explained that he "would love them to be around film sets."

"A dream would be for them to come onto a film set and be like 'God, you know, I'd love to be in the art department. I'd love to be something in the crew.' Some part of this, but not from that," he added. "I think if you can get a situation where you're on film sets without necessarily [thinking] 'oh, this is gonna be a big deal in your life,' that's great. ... Film sets are wonderful places. I think a lot of the time it can be wonderful for kids. But it's really the fame side of it that should be avoided at all costs.”

Radcliffe recently ended his run in the Every Brilliant Thing play on Broadway — which is built on audience interaction and human connections. He has been nominated for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play, ahead of the 2026 ceremony on June 7.

Daniel Radcliffe in 'Every Brilliant Thing' on Broadway
Credit: Matthew Murphy

“Every few years, I want to do something that really scares the s--- out of me,” he told PEOPLE. “You can get to phases in your career where you feel like you're a little too comfortable, and doing something you're afraid of jolts you out of your complacency. And this definitely is that for me.”

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“Whenever I find something where a part of sits very, very naturally for me and it feels like my voice and the character's voice are pretty close together, but there's also one element to it that is completely alien and completely outside my comfort zone, that's a real sweet spot for me," he added. "That's when I get excited as an actor and know I'm up for a challenge."

Although Radcliffe previously won a Tony for his role in the Merrily We Roll Along revival in 2024, this one-man play has pushed him into new territory.

"I have not done something like this before. And to be honest, I had very little interest in doing something that would just be me on my own telling lines in front of an audience. It's the connection that this show makes you have with the audience is what made me want to do it,” he said. "Every night, we as a community in the theater together make this play together. And that feels really special and unique."

Radcliffe said he feels it "says a lot" about the play given that he doesn't find the audience engagement aspect of it "exhausting." Before the play even starts, he spends the 30 minutes before speaking to guests in the crowd and picking people to help him during the show.

"I love the way it allows me to be in a room full of people without trying to hide myself, which is how I go through the world most of the time," he said. "There's something just really freeing and fun about being able to run around and recruit people for the show."

Given Radcliffe also usually tries to "lay low" when he's in a crowded room or place, he noted that "there's something really liberating about just running around and being like, 'Hey, I'm Dan. Nice to meet you.' It's fun!"

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"I will never get to do something like this again,” he continued. "I'll forever be grateful for it."

Radcliffe played his final performance in Every Brilliant Thing on Sunday, May 24. Mariska Hargitay is now leading the show after making her Broadway debut on Tuesday, May 26. Tracee Ellis Ross will star in the play beginning July 7.

Tickets to Every Brilliant Thing are now on sale.

The 2026 Tony Awards will take place at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 7. The show will air on CBS beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, and stream on Paramount+.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”