Daniel Radcliffe, best known for his iconic role as Harry Potter, has evolved into a Tony-nominated actor. He stars in the revival of Merrily We Roll Along, sharing the stage with Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez.
Stephen Sondheim’s musical explores the story of a friendship between two songwriters and a theater critic, unraveling in reverse. Despite its initial failure, lasting only 16 performances, the revival has garnered seven Tony nominations, including acting nods for Radcliffe, Groff, and Mendez.
Radcliffe expressed his excitement about the nominations. Reflecting on his post-Harry Potter career, he admitted he never anticipated becoming a Tony-nominated actor.
“I don’t think I would’ve dared to believe you,” Radcliffe said.
Merrily We Roll Along hit Broadway in October 2023 after a successful off-Broadway run. Throughout this time, Radcliffe’s bond with Groff and Mendez has deepened, paralleling their characters’ journey in the play.
Despite the buzz surrounding the Tony Awards, Radcliffe remains focused. He is “ambivalent” about winning but passionate about Groff’s potential victory.
“I will burn the building to the ground if Jonathan Groff doesn’t win. Everyone else in the category is amazing. That is true, but I’m very biased here,” he said with a laugh.
Balancing his Broadway commitments with his personal life has been challenging, especially since becoming a new father.
Radcliffe and his longtime partner Erin Darke, whom he met on the set of Kill Your Darlings, welcomed their first son in 2023. The actor’s schedule allows him daytime moments with his son, but matinee performances can be tough.
“Two-show days are particularly hard and sad because I leave in the morning and then he’s very obviously asleep by the time I get back,” Radcliffe said. “I do feel like I see him the next morning, and I’m like, ‘Oh, you’re a different human being. You have grown up so much in these last 24 hours.'”
Radcliffe’s career post-Potter has been marked by bold choices. He has taken on diverse roles, from playing a flatulent corpse in Swiss Army Man to an evil billionaire in Lost City, and Weird Al in a 2022 biopic. His selective approach to roles allows him to embrace challenging projects.
“I have the most fun and I’m at my best when I’m a little bit scared that it’s all going to go horribly wrong any minute,” he said.
This mindset extends to his theater work. While performing Merrily We Roll Along, Radcliffe experienced a mishap during his song ‘Franklin Shepard Inc.,’ jumping ahead by two minutes.
In that stressful moment, Groff and Mendez supported him, helping him stay on track. Radcliffe believes such experiences keep him sharp and prepared.
With five Broadway shows under his belt, Radcliffe has established himself in the theater world. He debuted on Broadway in 2008 in Equus, a daring role involving religious themes and nudity, taken after filming Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince. Radcliffe felt embraced by the New York theater community post-Harry Potter.
Equus was a bold choice, but Radcliffe knew he needed a role that would push him.
“At a time when the rest of the world was being like, ‘You are always going to be Harry Potter,’ it was Broadway that kind of went, Let’s see what else you can do,” Radcliffe said.
In 2011, he took on his first musical, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, initially finding the prospect intimidating.
Director Rob Ashford encouraged him, and after 18 months of preparation, Radcliffe excelled, especially in the performance of ‘Brotherhood of Man,’ which he considers one of his proudest achievements.
The 77th annual Tony Awards will air at 8 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 16, on CBS and Paramount+.
