A-list actors get edgy in indie music videos

LOS ANGELES - For years, movie stars have looked for challenging roles in low-budget dramas made outside Hollywood's studios, but in recent months they have taken their acts to edgy music videos from independent bands to explore their dark sides.

In June, "Transformers" actor Shia LaBeouf caused a stir by appearing nude in a music video for Icelandic folk band Sigur Ros. In the same week, "Harry Potter" actor Daniel Radcliffe played a drunk in a Slow Club video, and in March, "Prince of Persia" star Jake Gyllenhaal turned homicidal for The Shoes.

Well-known actors appearing in music videos goes back to the early days of MTV with Vincent Price in Michael Jackson's "Thriller," but that was when music videos attracted millions to television. Now, YouTube and other video websites are capturing the eyeballs, offering creative outlets for stars and building reputations for cutting-edge bands.

"Short of doing a feature film, this is a way (for actors) to work with directors, and perhaps make an impression on them for a lengthier professional collaboration," Keith Caulfield, Billboard magazine's associate director of charts, told Reuters.

For LaBeouf and Sigur Ros, the collaboration came about through director Alma Har'el, one of 12 filmmakers selected by the band to create videos for tracks off their album "Valtari."

The video shows LaBeouf, 26, in a dysfunctional relationship with a woman and includes violence, drug use and nudity. It has amassed more than 2 million views since its June 18 release.

"Harry Potter" actor Daniel Radcliffe also made headlines playing a tormented drunk for British indie band Slow Club's music video "The Beginners," a topic that may have deeper meaning for the actor, who in February revealed his own struggles with alcohol to British magazine Heat.

Slow Club singer Rebecca Taylor told Reuters the actor worked closely with the video's director, and she called his performance "arresting."

"We were all anxious to make it a good video, a good performance and something that enhances the song. We didn't want having somebody as high profile as Daniel to just be the concept," Taylor said.

Both Radcliffe and LaBeouf were unavailable for comment, but Gyllenhaal did reply in an e-mail about his involvement in the video for "Time to Dance" from French indie band The Shoes.

"I did the video because it exists alone, by itself. Like a question mark at the end of a sentence," Gyllenhaal wrote.

VIDEO ART VS. COMMERCE

In the video, directed by British filmmaker Daniel Wolfe, Gyllenhaal, 31, plays a homicidal fencer who stabs and beats people to death. The Shoes dreamed up the concept with Wolfe, who then called in Gyllenhaal.

"We needed a great actor to do it as we didn't want (gratuitous) violence in our video. We wanted this as a piece of art and not a buzz video," band member Guillame Briere told Reuters.

Briere said that for Gyllenhaal, the video was a "really different experience from what he is doing normally" and a chance for him to show people "how good he is" as an actor.

In the past, celebrity cameo appearances in videos were mainly reserved for established music artists who could rope in high-profile actors and directors for big-budget videos that, in turn, were expected to boost album sales.

Eddie Murphy played a pharaoh in Michael Jackson's "Remember The Time," Christopher Walken danced in Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice," and "Clueless" actress Alicia Silverstone became a household name after starring in three Aerosmith videos.

But even on MTV, the format is no longer as relevant as it once was, and YouTube and other websites are offering artists a vast platform to reach fans, leading to a resurgence of music videos online from the likes of Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber.

"Videos could be arguably more influential now because anyone can see them at any time, but the problem is getting that video in front of someone that wouldn't have normally watched it," said Caulfield.

While harnessing Hollywood star power is one proven way for indie bands to get videos seen, the collaborations don't always translate to high record sales over long periods of time.

The Shoes' "Time To Dance" has sold 2,000 downloads in the United States since its release in March, according to Nielsen SoundScan, but roughly one-half of those came in the week the video was released.

For Slow Club, working with Radcliffe has boosted the reach of the "Beginners" video, amassing more than 347,000 views since June 19, but the band isn't banking on it for long-term success.

"It's been great to reach more people. It always is. But it's not like we sat around drinking Moet and feeling like we've 'made it' now," said Taylor. "We are pretty laid back about where we are and where we reach."

© Copyright (c) Reuters

Daniel Radcliffe to play a literary hero in next

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has confirmed he is set to play another literary hero on the big screen. Contactmusic.com reports that Radcliffe will portray beat writer Allen Ginsberg, in a new murder mystery.

"I'm thrilled to actually finally be able to talk about it. It's a project that I've kind of been attached to for a long time. It's called Kill Your Darlings and it's a story about a murder that was kind of the catalyst to forming the Beat Generation, so it's a film about Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs and Lucien Carr... who was a really instrumental figure in all of their lives," he said. 

"Potentially, I think, it could be a really great film and it's already got a really great cast," he added.

IANS

Daniel Radcliffe’s Life After Harry

Daniel Radcliffe has elegant hands, which he uses often to make a point as he speaks in his gentle English accent. We are sitting backstage at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre, three hours before a matinee of the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, in which for 10 months Radcliffe has starred as the sweetly conniving mail room employee turned executive. It’s his first musical, and it has won him critical praise, in part because his character is so very different from his role as Harry Potter, protagonist of the $7.7 billion–grossing, 10-year film franchise that made this 22-year-old one of the richest actors of his generation. 

When I ask Radcliffe how he is, he enthusiastically replies, “I am happy!”—his cheeks dimpling as he grins broadly. The source of his happiness today? Someone he loves has flown to New York just to be with him.

Charming, serious, and surprisingly open, Radcliffe seems more like a bright college student relaxing between classes than a world-famous actor. At 5-foot-5, wearing a blue shirt, fitted jeans, and white sneakers, he has a dancer’s tight, wiry body and a boyish face dominated by large, blue, deeply expressive eyes. With his run in How to Succeed winding down (his last performance was slated for New Year’s Day), he is eager for the release of his first post-Potter film, on Feb. 3: The Woman in Black, a character-driven supernatural thriller. 

“While it’s very frightening,” Radcliffe says of the movie, in which he plays a widowed lawyer, “it’s also about love, grief, and longing. It’s beautifully written and very compelling.”

He is well aware that he has entered the second stage of his career and faces a task that has derailed many former child stars: the transition to adult roles. With candor and humor, he discusses that challenge—as well as his boyhood, his fears, his hopes, and what it means to really be in love—on this winter morning.

PARADE When did you know you were interested in acting?
I was 5. I turned to my mom and said, “Mom, I want to be an actor.” And she said, “No, no.” My mom and dad were actors when they were younger and had a horrible experience of it. My dad became a literary agent and my mom a casting director. [Radcliffe is their only child.]

Growing up, did you have the sense of being an outsider?
Totally! I remember being 6 years old and knowing that I saw the world differently from the rest of the boys in my class. I have always said to myself there must be a reason for me being this weird. There’s got to be a payoff at some point.

Your dad is a Protestant from Ulster and your mom is English and Jewish. Were you raised in a particular religion?
There was never [religious] faith in the house. I think of myself as being Jewish and Irish, despite the fact that I’m English.

My dad believes in God, I think. I’m not sure if my mom does. I don’t. I have a problem with religion or anything that says, “We have all the answers,” because there’s no such thing as “the answers.” We’re complex. We change our minds on issues all the time. Religion leaves no room for human complexity. 

In 2000, a friend of your parents, producer David Heyman, asked you to audition to play Harry Potter, and your parents agreed. You won the role and your life changed completely.
Yes. I got very lucky at the age of 11 and had this great job. For the first two films, I was just having fun. Then I started to see the potential for acting as storytelling, as being part of something fundamental to human existence. Working with Gary Oldman was a big part of that.

How would you have been different if you had not been Harry Potter?
[When I was cast] I was at a private school—an almost exclusively white, very privileged place—and I was put into a film set with people from 100 different backgrounds, races, classes, everything. Suddenly, because of Potter, my worldview got much wider than it would have been. 

At 17, when you played the deranged, sometimes naked stable boy onstage in Equus, or this past year starring in your first musical, did you worry that the critics would be gunning for you because you’re a young, successful movie star?
[laughs] I knew they would. But I’ve worked out recently that I don’t do very well without fear. There needs to be a part of me saying, “You can’t do that—that’s going to fail,” for me to prove myself wrong. What I’ve learned, particularly this year, is that all actors—no matter their status or brilliance—still feel like fools.

Fools?
Yes, like we’re conning people and we’re not really any good at it. What I learned is that acting is to a large extent about trying to stave off self-doubt long enough to be natural and real onstage. I’m at the point in my career where I should be learning a huge amount from every job I do, and unless something’s going to give me that, I’m not really very attracted to it.

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I have quite a rich inner life, and I’m constantly looking for a way to express that. I haven’t found it yet in acting. When you’re playing a character, you’re only going to find outlets for very specific parts of your inner world. Self-expression is something that I love and yearn for. I need it, absolutely.

Is that why you write poetry? You’ve published a few poems and written short fiction.
Poetry is something I love to do. Good poetry has an amazing ability to be communicative before it’s even understood. I get emotional just from the beauty of words. I write best at night, and I haven’t written nearly as much this year, because after being onstage I get into bed and fall asleep. When filming, normally I sit for an hour and try to write when I get home.

Are you a romantic?
Yes. I don’t know where my romanticism comes from. My mom and dad would read to me a lot. Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe, tales of chivalry and knights, things like that. Those are the stories I loved growing up. I still see something very romantic in the world that perhaps isn’t there. I suppose I want it to be the place of knights and that kind of stuff.

Knights marry princesses. Do you want to get married?
Yes, absolutely. When growing up, I thought of marriage as being very official, drawing up a contract. It seemed slightly clinical to me. But then you meet somebody that you really love and you think, “Actually, I wouldn’t mind standing up in front of my friends and family and telling them how much I love you and that I want to be with you forever.”

Have you met anyone like that?
Yes, I have. The person I’m with now is pretty wonderful—my girlfriend, Rosie Coker, who I met on the last Potter film. She is a production assistant. We’ve been going out for just over a year now. She landed in New York on Sunday and she’s in my dressing room right now, actually.

Are you in love with her?
Yes, absolutely. When Rosie’s here, every day seems better. Ultimately, I think, it comes down to that—having somebody in your life who makes you happier than you thought you could be. When you find somebody like Rosie, who is smart, kind, loving, and not crazy, you hang on to her.

Love is also like having a cap on your own happiness, because you can only be as happy as the person you’re in love with is. I realized that for the first time a couple days ago. I’d had a great day, and I got home and Rosie was very down about something. I thought, “Why don’t I feel good? I feel anxious somehow.” It took me about five minutes to realize that it was because I was worrying about her.

I’m not an easy person to love. There are lots of times when I’m a very good boyfriend, but there are times when I’m useless. I mean, I’m a mess around the house. I talk nonstop. I become obsessed with things. This year it’s fantasy football, which means Rosie has to listen to me talking 24 hours a day about this team. “Should I take this player out, do you think, darling?” And she listens to it, and she loves me for my oddness, my awkwardness, all of those things that I hate about myself. She finds them cute. I guess that’s love.

You’ve had girlfriends before her.
Every girlfriend I’ve ever had I met through work, and I generally spent a lot of time with each before we started hanging out. We never went on dates. Rosie was the first girl I went on dates with.

Why was that?
I hated dating because I’m crap at it! [laughs] With Rosie, I didn’t know what was appropriate, like on which date you’re supposed to try and kiss her. At the end of the second date I pulled a move out of the Bela Lugosi Book of Woo—I went to kiss Rosie and at the last minute lost my nerve and ended up kissing her neck, which is such a weirdly intimate place to kiss somebody on a second date. Afterward, I texted her, saying, “I’m sorry, what I just did probably seems very odd to you.” Fortunately, she just found it really funny, so she kept coming back.

Last year you gave up booze. Why?
My inner life was being drowned. I’ve worked with Richard Harris, Gary Oldman, all those actors who went crazy when they were young, and I always wanted that. The idea of that kind of life and chaos was always so appealing to me. Unfortunately, the way I do it, there is no romance to it! [laughs] There is nothing glorious or triumphant about it—it was pathetic, boring, and unhappy.

You’ve had enormous success for someone so young. Do you fear that it won’t last?
Yes. But it’s reality, not fear. It will happen, and I have accepted that. In a way it’s a great relief that I will never, ever do a film as successful as the Harry Potter series. But neither will anybody else. [laughs] Or it will take them a long time.

If this success lasts longer, great. If it doesn’t, so be it. I’ve had enough fame to last a lifetime. As long as I’m happy with the work I’m doing, I don’t mind. The thing I’ve realized this year is that all that matters at the end of the day is that I’m happy with my life and the people around me, the people I love. That, ultimately, is all I care about.

Daniel Radcliffe: Potter is modern Star Wars

Daniel Radcliffe thinks the Harry Potter series and Star Wars has a lot in common.

Daniel plays the leading role in the film series adapted from J.K. Rowling’s incredibly successful Harry Potter children’s books. With worldwide earnings of nearly $1 billion for each of the eight film adaptations, the Harry Potter franchise is a tremendous Hollywood institution. Daniel compares Harry Potter’s cinematic success to George Lucas’ Star Wars franchise, but believes there is one key difference.

“What Star Wars and [Harry] Potter have in common is a huge devoted fan base,” Daniel explained to Moviefone. “Where they differ, I think there is a slightly more balanced split between the sexes in the fan base of Potter. I associate Star Wars as being a predominantly male thing. And I think Potter is split more evenly.”

Daniel believes that both franchises have acted as cultural catalysts of sorts. Star Wars and Harry Potter both had lasting effects on generations of viewers.

“I think the difference is because Potter started out as a book, it's created a generation of literary nerds in a way that Star Wars perhaps didn't,” Daniel explained. “But, basically, it's all the same. I mean, I do think of Potter as being this generation's Star Wars. It's something that an entire generation has lost themselves in and it's a meticulously created, detailed world. So I do think that's the closest thing to compare it to.”

First look: Daniel Radcliffe goes to the dark side in brooding horror film Woman In Black

The teaser trailer for Daniel Radcliffe's first 'grown up' film since Harry Potter has been released...and it's safe to say he's graduated Hogwarts in spooky style.

This two minute taste of The Woman In Black promises a chilling tale, beautifully shot and laden with ghostly ambiance. 

It looks set to prove as haunting and atmospheric as the phenomenally successful stage version.

Scroll down for video...

Impressive: Daniel Radcliffe cuts a dashing figure as lawyer Arthur Kipps, sent to a remote island to wrap up the affairs of a deceased client 

The adaption of the classic book and play is directed by Eden Lake's James Watkins, while the script comes from Jane Goldman, the co-screenwriter of Kick Ass and X-Men: First Class.

 

The story follows a young lawyer Arthur Kipps, who travels to a remote house on an island somewhere in Britain to put the last affairs of a deceased client in order.

He is disturbed by the sight of a ghost at the client's funeral, who children can see but refuse to speak of.

Spooky stuff: Radcliffe has promised that the atmospheric ghost story is 'going to be terrifying.'

Silent observers: The children see The Woman In Black, but are reluctant to talk to anyone 

As the ghost becomes increasingly malevolent, the town is thrown into a frenzy of terror, with the 'house on the marsh', becoming the focal point of the haunting.

The trailer opens with chime toy box music, with disturbing images of old children's toys.

A spooky child's voice declares 'During afternoon tea, there's a shift in the air, a bone-trembling hill that tells you she's there.'

Mystery: Could a family secret be at the heart of the trouble?

'There are those who believe the whole town is cursed': A chilling voiceover describes the ghastly effect of the haunting

New direction: This film should see a transition for Radcliffe into more adult roles

The voice continues: 'There are those who believe the whole town is cursed, but the house in the marsh was by far the worst.'

'What she wants is unknown, but she always comes back, the spectre of darkness, the woman in black,' the scary rhyme concludes.

The scenes are shot beautifully, with Radcliffe's pale lawyer reminiscent of Johnny Depp's detective character in Sleepy Hollow.

'During afternoon tea, there's a shift in the air, a bone-trembling hill that tells you she's there..'

Restless: The ghost's unfinished business tears the town apart

The barest glimpses of the ghost are frightening enough in themselves.

And Radcliffe has promised that the film won't disappoint for scares.

'It's going to be terrifying, and at the test screening they had, apparently people were leaping out of their seats terrified, so I think it's just going to be a really, really good movie,' the 22-year-old told MTV News.

The Woman In Black is due for release February 12, 2012.

Five Things We've Learned About Daniel Radcliffe's New Girlfriend

After photos of Daniel Radcliffe and his new lady in strolling the streets in New York City hit the Internet, all we wanted to know was who is she?!

 

And now we have some answers!

So if you're dying to know who this pretty brunette (who can pull off wearing leggings with flip-flops quite well) in lavender is...here you go:

1. She Has a Name: We can finally identify the 22-year-old by something other than her hair color or wardrobe. She is Rosanne Coker, but friends call her Rose.

2. Potter Love: It would be weird if Radcliffe dated a girl that wasn't into Harry Potter (well, we think it would be), but that isn't an issue here. The duo met on the set of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2007 when Coker worked as a production's assistant. And that was just the beginning. Radcliffe and Coker also worked on the last two H.P. films together and his latest project, The Woman in Black.

3. Creative Genes: Rose's father is the owner of a painting and decorating business, while her mother designs birthday cards. And the apple doesn't fall from the tree, because Miss Coker is a painter herself!

4. Travel Bug: Since the beginning of their relationship a year ago, the actor's love interest has been splitting her time between his NYC apartment and her family's close-to $660,000 home in Surrey, England.

5. Daddy Approves: Danny boy has already met the family, but don't rush off thinking there's a wedding in store. However, if there was, he'd get Mr. Coker's blessing. "I have met Daniel and he is a lovely guy. I'm just really happy for Rosanne and as long as she is happy that is all that matters to me," he tells the Daily Mail.

"No other parent would ask any more. I know it's not a normal life they live. But they have a lot of fun together and at their age, what more could you ask? Who knows where it is going to lead?"

Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe is bewitched by a decorator's daughter from Woking

It is a sight that will mean heartache for his millions of female admirers.

Daniel Radcliffe and a pretty brunette stroll hand in hand down a New York sidewalk.

And they are more than just good friends. 

The girl in question, the Daily Mail can reveal, is Rosanne Coker, a 22-year-old painter and decorator’s daughter.

She's just magic: Daniel Radcliffe and his girlfriend Rosanne Coker were seen hand in hand as they enjoyed a stroll around NYC on Tuesday 

She first met Radcliffe when she worked as a production assistant on Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince in 2007. 

In total they have worked on four films together, including the last three Harry Potter projects and The Woman In Black, the new Hammer movie which is due for release next year.

 

The pair then began dating a year ago and Miss Coker splits her time between her family’s £400,000 home in Surrey and Radcliffe’s luxury apartment in New York.  

The couple were seen walking together in the city earlier this week. Radcliffe wore a plain blue T-shirt and shorts while his comprehensive school-educated girlfriend – known to friends as Rose – opted for black leggings, a lilac vest and a pair of flip-flops. 

With a fortune estimated at £48milllion, Radcliffe, also 22, has been regarded as one of Britain’s most eligible bachelors.

It's love: The Harry Potter actor revealed last month that he had a girlfriend in an interview with Larry King

Miss Coker’s father Malcolm runs his own painting and decorating business, while her mother Gillian is believed to design birthday cards. 

Last night, Mr Coker revealed his delight at his daughter’s relationship but denied the pair were engaged.

He said: ‘I don’t want to say too much really as they would really prefer to keep things quiet. 

‘But Rosanne has worked on the last three Harry Potter films, so she and Daniel have known each other quite a long time. But they have been going out for just over a year now. 

‘I have met Daniel and he is a lovely guy. I’m just really happy for Rosanne and as long as she is happy that is all that matters to me.

Casual couple: The pair were dressed in a relaxed manner with Daniel in a simple T-shirt and short combo while his girlfriend opted for leggings and a lilac vest

Smokey joke: As Daniel, 22, enjoyed a cigarette he and his girlfriend shared a joke as they made their way around the city 

‘No other parent would ask any more. I know it’s not a normal life they live. But they have a lot of fun together and at their age, what more could you ask?  Who knows where it is going to lead? She still lives over here in London and he is in New York a lot, but she wants to make sure that she continues her career and wants to achieve everything she set out to do.

‘I don’t think anyone realises how much he gets pestered. 

‘I have been out for a meal with him and it just gets embarrassing. He feels awkward about it. You can ask people for privacy but they will just totally blank you.’ 

Miss Coker went to the respected Gordon’s School in Woking, Surrey. A voluntary-aided comprehensive, it is one of the most successful non-selective schools in Britain.

A former acquaintance recalled: ‘Rosanne was very sporty at school. She was on the netball team and was very popular and had a lot of friends. She was also very clever and got really good grades. She was just a really nice person.’

The ex: Radcliffe's former girlfriend was Laura O'Toole who he met during his performance in the West End play Equus

Just friends: Radcliffe was erroneously linked with Olive Uniacke earlier this year b

Last month, Radcliffe told U.S. chat show host Larry King that he had fallen in love. He said: ‘I’ve got a girlfriend at the moment, who I am very much in love with. So you know, we’ll see where that goes.’

Latest role: Radcliffe will star in new film The Woman In Black

Speaking in May to GQ magazine, he told how he had quit drinking after starting a relationship. He said: ‘I now have a girlfriend I’ve been going out with for eight months.’

He added: ‘As much as I would love to be a person that goes to parties and has a couple of drinks and has a nice time – that doesn’t work for me. 

‘I do that very unsuccessfully. I’d just rather sit at home and read, or go out dinner with someone, or talk to somebody I love, or talk to somebody that makes me laugh.’

At the time, some reports erroneously claimed the mystery woman was Olive Uniacke, 20, his close friend and the stepdaughter of Harry Potter producer David Heyman.  

Radcliffe has only gone public with one girlfriend since starring in the first Harry Potter film in 2001. In 2007, it emerged that he was dating Irish actress Laura O’Toole, now 26, after meeting during the West End stage play Equus, but the couple split in early 2008. 

In 2010 he was seen spending time with Miss Uniacke but later that year he also admitted he wasn’t having  much luck with the ladies. ‘I’m not getting too many responses, but, yes, I’m having a go,’ he said of his attempts to find a girlfriend.

The Harry Potter: Journey ends here

A decade of Harry Potter ends today as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 hits the screens for the final time tomorrow. As the biggest franchise ever, comes to a grand finale, here is some interesting trivia on the making of the world's greatest saga Harry Potter.

The costumes
Over 25,000 items of clothing have been used on Harry Potter and over 600 school uniforms have been created for the character
Dan Radcliffe wore out 60-70 wands during the making of the film and has been through 160 pairs of glasses. 

The scenes with the largest number of cast and extras to dress have been the battle scenes in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", with 400 Death Eaters and Snatchers and the Great Hall scenes with 400 children and teachers.

The creatures
In "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", Ron's vomit slugs were in fact, puppets. Rupert Grint chose orange-flavored slime to make the experience more palatable.
Over 200 creatures were created for the "Harry Potter" film series.

Hair and makeup
A dentist was on standby for many of the young crowd scenes to replace teeth which wobbled and fell out — to prevent continuity issues involving teeth. 

Harry's infamous scar has been put on by makeup approx 5,800 times. This is not only on Daniel Radcliffe, who has had the scar applied approx 2,000 times, but also on his doubles and stunt doubles. 

Robbie Coltrane once got a mini-fan caught in his Hagrid beard and had to have it cut out.

Hogwarts
Hogwarts was 60 x 50 x 30 ft high. A scale of 1:24 . The original version took about seven months to create with 40 people working on it. The miniature has been updated over the years due to story requirements.
Each of these updates has taken approximately 3-4 months with about 20 model makers.

Sets and props
Number of sets created — 588
Biggest set — Ministry of Magic
Longest standing set — The Great Hall, used from the first film till the last. 

The "Harry Potter" art department contained a team of 58 people working full-time. Over 10 years, they produced some amazing work, but also produced 35 babies!

The Great Hall
The Great Hall was one of the first ever sets created. It could fit 22 London double-decker buses inside. It stands 120ft x 40ft and took over 100 tons of plaster to complete. The set took 18 weeks to build by 30 men. 

Dumbledore's chair was inspired by the throne in Westminster Abbey. n The Hall seats 400 children. 

Behind the Professor's top table is the house points system. Each hour glass contains tens of thousands of Indian glass beads.

Grimmauld Place
The fabric used on the hall and stairwell walls was made from 350 meters of dark grey silk bought in from India and then screen-printed in gold. 

The same pattern was used on the curtains in the drawing room.

I am a huge Sachin Tendulkar fan, says Daniel Radcliffe

I am a huge Tendulkar fan, says Daniel Radcliffe

Harry Potter fans can more than just watch their favourite hero's final battle against Lord Voldemort. They can take heart in the fact that Daniel Radcliffe, known for most of his 22 years of life as Harry Potter, is an unabashed Indophile and plans to visit India soon.
For one, he is a big fan of cricket and Sachin Tendulkar and not necessarily in that order. Daniel cherishes an autograph of the Master Blaster. "My friends and I were thrilled to meet Sachin and get his autograph. I am a huge fan, he is truly a legend."

"I wanted to visit India during the Cricket World Cup but got so caught up with my Broadway musical, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, that it left me with no time. But cricket or no cricket, I am certainly planning a trip to India soon," he told TOI.

The British actor knows a lot about India. He said, "I have heard and read a lot about India, especially Midnight's Children, and would like to know more about the country. Indians are huge cricket fans, just like me."

As the Harry Potter film series draws to a close, the actor wants to take home two pairs of glasses that his onscreen persona sports as a reminder of the memorable time he spent on the sets. "I will also take home friendship which will last me a lifetime."

Daniel has been portraying the boy wizard for nearly a decade. "I do not want to break my Harry Potter image, but have been trying other characters and hope the audience will like them the way they did Harry Potter." The actor is confident that his Harry Potter image will not come in the way of his future films. "I don't think of it, but one has to move on. My next film, The Woman in Black, will release in 2012."

The British actor knows about Shah Rukh Khan starrer Chak De. "I have watched a couple of Bollywood films and found them every entertaining."

Though Emma Watson, known for her portrayal of know-it-all Hermione Granger, is paired alongside Daniel in the film, he looks at her as his sister. "We have been working together for over a decade and are very good friends. In the beginning, we felt a little awkward doing the romantic scenes but both of us are professionals and we gave our shots."

So finally what does he have to say to all his fans. "I hope you've been satisfied with the films and I'm sorry we haven't been able to keep everything in. I think Harry Potter fans have a literary curiosity and imagination that is not necessarily associated with fans of all other big franchises, both past and present," said the actor. "Take that curiosity out into the world, do extraordinary things."

J.K. Rowling made Radcliffe Potter!

Daniel Radcliffe owes his stardom to Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling, since she was the sole one responsible for handing the then child star the lead role in the movie franchise, despite arguments between studio executives over whether he was the right choice.

Harry Potter and The Philosopher''s Stone director Chris Columbus revealed that Radcliffe was not a favourite for all the film bosses planning the adaptations of Rowling''s books.

"There were certain people who didn''t think Dan was perfect for the part, Conatctmusic quoted Columbus as telling Entertainment Weekly magazine.

"We had committees - a total of 30 people, between us and the studio - who were looking at these screen tests.

"When Jo (Rowling) saw Dan, she said, ''That''s how I always imagined Harry would look like!'', he added.

'Harry Potter' First Screen Test: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint In Original Scene

As the epic, eight episode "Harry Potter" book-to-film series closes in on revealing its final chapter, it's easy to take for granted that its stars, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, are now full-fledged adults. With so many movies, the progression has been so gradual and natural on screen that one almost forgets just how young the three leads were when the film series began.

So here's a reminder.

Warner Bros. has released a video of the three in their very first screen test for "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," years ahead of maturation but still nailing down their respective parts. Watson, as Hermoine, is a know it all reading about Nicolas Flamel, while Radcliffe and Grint, as Harry and Ron, shrug in confusion. Even then, it was obvious that they embodied the parts.

Also included is a brief look back at the other films of the series, similar to a recent YouTube user's video called "Through The Pensieve."

As for what's next for the now-grown stars? Radcliffe will be singing at the Tonys in support of his hit role in "How To Succeed in Business," while Watson will take on "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," and, hopefully, get a boyfriend.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," hits theaters July 15th.

Radcliffe praises Gaga for gay rights stance

Actor Daniel Radcliffe has praised pop star Lady Gaga for supporting gay rights in such an "outspoken" and "flamboyant" style.

Radcliffe has long supported the Trevor Project, an organisation aimed at suicide prevention among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youths, while Gaga has been vocal as a gay rights advocate since she shot to fame, reports contactmusic.

"She's very outspoken... and it's just about being who you were born as. It's wonderful that other people are coming out from all different spectrums in support of gay rights. I mean, she has a slightly more flamboyant way of putting her point across than I would, and it suits her a lot better than it would me. But we're both aiming for the same thing," he said.