Fan fiction (alternatively referred to as fanfiction, fanfic, FF, or fic) is a broadly-defined term for fan labor regarding stories about characters or settings written by fans of the original work, rather than by the original creator. Works of fan fiction are rarely commissioned or authorized by the original work's owner, creator, or publisher; also, they are almost never professionally published. Because of this, many fan fictions written often contain a disclaimer stating that the creator of the work owns none of the characters. Fan fiction, therefore, is defined by being both related to its subject's canonical fictional universe and simultaneously existing outside the canon of that universe.^[1] Most fan fiction writers assume that their work is read primarily by other fans, and therefore tend to presume that their readers have knowledge of the canon universe (created by a professional writer) in which their works are based.

Fanfiction is what literature might look like if it were reinvented from scratch after a nuclear apocalypse by a band of brilliant pop-culture junkies trapped in a sealed bunker. They don't do it for money. That's not what it's about. The writers write it and put it up online just for the satisfaction. They're fans, but they're not silent, couchbound consumers of media. The culture talks to them, and they talk back to the culture in its own language.

—Lev Grossman, TIME, July 18, 2011

Media scholar Henry Jenkins explains the correlation between transmedia storytelling and fan fiction:^[2]

The encyclopedic ambitions of transmedia texts often results in what might be seen as gaps or excesses in the unfolding of the story: that is, they introduce potential plots which can not be fully told or extra details which hint at more than can be revealed. Readers, thus, have a strong incentive to continue to elaborate on these story elements, working them over through their speculations, until they take on a life of their own. Fan fiction can be seen as an unauthorized expansion of these media franchises into new directions which reflect the reader's desire to "fill in the gaps" they have discovered in the commercially produced material.

Common websites used for fanfiction include Fanfiction.net, where users can openly contribute fanfiction and review other stories, and the Archive of Our Own, which is run by the Organization for Transformative Works, which advocates for fanfiction creators' rights.

History[link]

Precursors[link]

It is not certain when Cervantes began writing Part Two of Don Quixote, but he had probably not gotten much further than Chapter LIX by late July 1614. About September, however, a spurious Part Two, entitled Second Volume of the Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha: by the Licenciado (doctorate) Alonso Fernández de Avellaneda, of Tordesillas, was published in Tarragona by an unidentified Aragonese who was an admirer of Lope de Vega, a rival of Cervantes.

The turn of the 20th century saw parodies and revisions of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland by authors including Frances Hodgson Burnett and E. Nesbit. In addition, there were several fan-authored versions of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories.

In 1945, C. S. Lewis adopted certain elements from J.R.R. Tolkien's then largely unpublished legendarium (mostly Númenor, there spelt Numinor) and incorporated these into the last novel, That Hideous Strength, of his Space Trilogy.

Modern phenomenon[link]

Before about 1965, the term "fan fiction" was used in science fiction fandom to designate original, though amateur, works of science fiction published in science fiction fanzines, as differentiated from fiction that was professionally published by professional writers; or fiction about fans and fandom.

However, the modern phenomenon of fan fiction as an expression of fandom and fan interaction was popularized and defined via Star Trek fandom and their fanzines published in the 1960s. The first Star Trek fanzine, Spockanalia (1967), contained some fan fiction; many others followed its example.^[3]:1 These fanzines were produced via offset printing and mimeography, and mailed to other fans or sold at science fiction conventions for a small fee to help recoup costs. Unlike other aspects of fandom, women dominated fan fiction authoring; 83% of Star Trek fan fiction authors were female by 1970, and 90% by 1973.^[4] One scholar states that fan fiction "fill[s] the need of a mostly female audience for fictional narratives that expand the boundary of the official source products offered on the television and movie screen."^[5]

Fan fiction has become more popular and widespread since the advent of the World Wide Web;^[6] according to one estimate, fan fiction comprises one third of all content about books on the Web.^[7] In addition to traditional fanzines and conventions, Usenet group electronic mailing lists were established for fan fiction as well as fan discussion. Online, searchable fan fiction archives were also established. The online archives were initially non-commercial hand-tended and fandom- or topic-specific. These archives were followed by non-commercial automated databases. In 1998, the not-for-profit site FanFiction.Net came online, which allowed anyone to upload content in any fandom.^[8] The ability to self-publish fan fiction at an easily-accessible common archive that did not require insider knowledge to join, and the ability to review the stories directly on the site, became popular quite quickly.^[9] FanFiction.net now hosts millions of stories in dozens of languages, and is widely considered the largest and most popular fan fiction archive online.^[6] Its indiscriminate policy of accepting any and all submissions has led to its being fondly/derogatively nicknamed "The Pit of Voles."^[10]

LiveJournal (founded in 1999) and other blogging services played a large part in the move away from mailing lists (both electronic and amateur press associations) to blogs as a means for fan communication and the sharing of fan fiction. Although much fan fiction today is published to archives, it would be impossible to tell whether more or less fan fiction today is posted directly to blogging services than to fan-fiction-specific archives, particularly since many authors maintain accounts on multiple sites and liberally cross-post their stories.

Japanese dōjinshi[link]

A similar trend in Japan also began appearing around the 1960s and 1970s, where independently published manga and novels, known as dōjinshi, are frequently published by dōjin circles; many of these dōjinshi are based on existing manga, anime, and video game franchises. Manga authors like Shotaro Ishinomori and Fujiko Fujio formed dōjin groups such as Fujio's New Manga Party (新漫画党, Shin Manga-to^?). At this time dōjin groups were used by artists to make a professional debut. This changed in the coming decades with dōjin groups forming as school clubs and the like. This culminated in 1975 with the Comiket in Tokyo.

Categories and types[link]

Fan fiction can be categorized in a number of ways. Some of these categories are similar to original fiction, some are specialized. Please note: these categories apply to western fandoms. International fandoms have different conventions.

Relationship to canon[link]

Stories are also categorized by their relationship to canon. The most common term is alternate universe which is frequently abbreviated AU. There are two main sub-categories of alternate universe fan fiction: stories that exist in the same "world" as canon, but change one or more major plot points (e.g. a character dies who is still alive in the source material or some event in the characters' lives is altered) and stories that take some or all characters from the source material and put them in an entirely different situation (e.g. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are pop stars, rather than students at a school for wizards).

There are several categories of "canon" stories as well, that is, stories that do not contradict the source material in any way. Missing scenes^[11] fill in parts of the story that were "left out" of the source. Episode Codas (a term that applies only to fan fiction based on animated or televised works) are stories that pick up at the end of an episode. These are usually written shortly after an episode airs, when viewers are left wanting more. Other categories, like pre-^[12] and post-series refer to stories that depict events taking place outside the chronological scope of the source material. Futurefic^[13] refers to any story that takes place after the currently available canon.

Romantic or sexual pairings[link]

There are four main categories that refer to the romantic or sexual story elements. "Slash", "Femslash", "Heterosexual" (sometimes abbreviated "Het"), and "General" (sometimes abbreviated "Gen"). In almost all fandoms, slash refers to same-sex male pairings. The term originates from the slash between the names of the characters in a relationship (e.g. Kirk/Spock). Although all pairings are denoted with a slash, only same-sex pairings are referred to by that term. (Thus, although often written out as Harry/Ginny, to use a canon heterosexual relationship from the Harry Potter fandom, these relationships would not be called slash.) Femslash, or sometimes femmeslash, refers to same-sex female pairings.

More women than men read romantic fan fiction. While men who are attracted to an actress often search for revealing photographs of her, women attracted to an actor are more likely to seek out erotic stories featuring a character he plays. A fan of Orlando Bloom, for example, might search for "Legolas erotica".^[14]

Genres and tropes[link]

As with other forms of fiction, fan fiction stories can be written in any genre. There are some specialized genre categories that only apply to fan fiction or, at least, the terminology is specific. "Crack", "Angst", and "WAFF/fluff/schmoop" are well-known examples.

Certain tropes are also used and reused in fan fiction. There are so many of these that it would be impossible to name them all, and they vary greatly from fandom to fandom. High school and College AUs are common in many fandoms that do not already take place in school settings. "Hurt-comfort" is also broadly popular.

Kinks[link]

The term kink has a somewhat different connotation in reference to fan fiction than it does in mainstream culture. Sexual tropes or situations are often referred to as kinks whether or not they are particularly "adventurous." Sometimes the term is even more broadly applied to describe plots or tropes that people enjoy, regardless of whether or not they are sexual in nature.^[15]

Crossovers[link]

Crossovers are stories that incorporate two or more different sources. For example, an author may take a character from Canon A and place him or her in the universe of Canon B, or characters from two or more fandoms may meet at a neutral location (i.e.; Harry Potter x Hetalia: Axis Powers or Lord of the Rings x Star Wars). These stories may include romantic or sexual pairings between characters from different canons.

Length[link]

Categorization by story length varies greatly among fandoms and among individuals. It is a common practice in many fandoms to list word count in the header information, especially on LiveJournal. Fanfiction.net and other archives may have their own specialized rules. Terminology for story length also varies. Some commonly used terms are drabble (either a story of exactly 100 words or a very short story), ficlet^[16] (longer than a drabble, but still very short) and one-shot (only a chapter long). Longer stories may be called longfic, epic, full-length, or novel-length, but these are typically not labels that would be applied by the author.

Ratings[link]

It is common, especially in fandoms based on U.S. source material, to provide a rating based on MPAA movie ratings G through NC-17. Ratings are usually accompanied by a brief statement of the reason for the rating; sexual content, violence, or language, for example. "Adult" or "Mature" are also commonly used to refer to content equivalent to an R or NC-17 rating.

On Fanfiction.net, the ratings are K (for anyone), K+ (for nearly everyone), T (for teen), and M (for mature).

Story creation in the online era[link]

Fanfiction is often posted serialized as a "work in progress" or WIP, with new chapters published in sequence, sometimes as soon as they are finished. Chapters may take anything from a day to several months to be updated and often remind readers of their place in the story with each new installment. Most archives allow authors to upload individual chapters sequentially under a single title with a main link to the first chapter, and each chapter easily linked to via a drop down menu.

It is often considered wise in fan fiction circles to acquire the aid of a "beta reader," sometimes shortened to "beta," whose responsibilities are roughly those of a professional editor to a commercial author—with the exception that the "beta" is most commonly a volunteer who works without pay and on a casual basis and communicates through E-mail or private message systems.^[17] Writers are discouraged in some circles from posting fan fiction that has not at least been checked for grammatical, spelling, consistency and plot errors by a beta reader.^[18] In late February 2008, FanFiction.net set up an area of their site that contains a list of authors willing to "beta" other authors' "fics."^[17]

Interactivity in the online era[link]

Unlike traditional print publication, the internet offers the option of giving and receiving rapid feedback^[19] or "reviews". Reviews can be given by both anonymous and registered users of most sites, and sites are often programmed to notify the author of new feedback, making them a common way for readers and authors online to communicate directly.^[20] This system is intended for a type of bond between the reader and the writer, as well as helping the author improve his or her writing skills through constructive criticism, enabling him or her to produce a better work next time.^{[21][unreliable source?]} Occasionally unmoderated review systems are abused to send flames, spam or trolling messages. As a result, the author of the story can either disable or enable anonymous reviews, depending on his/her preference. Internet fanfiction gives young writers a wider audience for their literary efforts than ever before, resulting in improved literacy.^[22]

Recently fan fiction has seen greater use of the forum or LiveJournal blog format.^[23] Built around message board systems, stories are posted on threads with feedback interlaced and immediate. This style of fan fiction is more interactive but also can be a distraction since the stories and comments are between each other. These communication methods make fan fiction sites and blogs useful affinity spaces as writers are able to take readers' feedback and improve their skills and abilities as writers. This informal learning is a side benefit for many fan fiction authors, some of whom eventually attempt or go on to writing professionally.

Legality[link]

Fan fiction is a derivative work under United States copyright law.^[24]

Some argue that fan fiction does not fall under fair use.^[25] The 2009 ruling by United States District Court judge Deborah A. Batts, permanently prohibiting publication in the United States of a book by a Swedish writer whose protagonist is a 76-year-old version of Holden Caulfield of The Catcher in the Rye, may be seen as upholding this position regarding publishing fan fiction, as the judge stated, "To the extent Defendants contend that 60 Years and the character of Mr. C direct parodic comment or criticism at Catcher or Holden Caulfield, as opposed to Salinger himself, the Court finds such contentions to be post-hoc rationalizations employed through vague generalizations about the alleged naivety of the original, rather than reasonably perceivable parody."^[26]

Others such as the Organization for Transformative Works uphold the legality of non-profit fan fiction under the fair use doctrine, as it is a creative, transformative process.^[27]

In 1981 Lucasfilms Ltd. sent out a letter to several fanzine publishers asserting Lucasfilm's copyright to all Star Wars characters and insisting that no fanzine publish pornography. Lucasfilm did not want the family-friendly aspect of the story and characters to be corrupted, despite the obvious draw that explicit content has for the fans.^[28] The letter also alluded to possible legal action that could be taken against fanzines that did not comply. Later that year, the director and legal counsel of the Official Star Wars Fan Club sent fanzine publishers a set of official guidelines. Lucasfilms supported fan publications contingent on their upholding these guidelines.^{[citation needed]}

The Harry Potter Lexicon is one case where the encyclopaedia-like website about everything in the Harry Potter series, has moved towards publishing and commercializing the Lexicon as a supplementary and complementary source of information to the series. Rowling and her publishers levied a lawsuit against the website creator, Steven Vander Ark, and the publishing company, RDR Books, for a breach of copyright. While the lawsuit did conclude in Vander Ark's favor, the main issue in contention was the majority of the Lexicon copied a majority of the Series' material and doesn't transform enough of the material to be held separately from the series itself.^[29]

While the HP Lexicon case is an example of Western culture treatment of fan fiction and copyright law, in China, Harry Potter fan fiction is less addressed in legal conflicts but is used as a cultural and educational tool between Western and Chinese cultures. More specifically, while there are a number of "fake" Harry Potter books in China, most of these books are treated as addressing concepts and issues found in Chinese culture. This transformative usage of Harry Potter in fan fiction is mainly from the desire to enhance and express value to Chinese tradition and culture.^[30]

In recent years, several prominent authors have given their blessings to fanfiction, notably J.K. Rowling. Rowling said she was "flattered" that people wanted to write their own stories based on her characters.^[31] Naomi Novik is another author who is supportive of fan fiction: she is a member of the Organization for Transformative Works and began as a fan fiction writer^{[citation needed]}. Similarly, Stephenie Meyer has put links on her website to fan fiction sites about her characters from the Twilight series.^[32]

However, Anne Rice has consistently and aggressively prevented fan fiction based on any of her characters (mostly those from her famous Interview with the Vampire and its sequels in The Vampire Chronicles). She, along with Anne McCaffrey and Raymond Feist, have asked to have any fiction related to their series removed from FanFiction.Net.^[31] George R.R. Martin, who was selected by Time magazine as one of the "2011 Time 100" and is most famous for his epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire, is also strongly opposed to fan fiction, believing it to be copyright infringement and a bad exercise for aspiring writers.^[33][34]

See also[link]

• Canon (fiction)
• Collaborative fiction
• Dōjin
• Dōjinshi
• Fandom
• FanFiction.Net
• Fiction
• Legal issues with fan fiction
• Media fandom
• Wold Newton family
• Cthulhu Mythos

References[link]

Notes[link]

Further reading[link]

• Black, R. (2008). Adolescents and online fanfiction. New York: Peter Lang.
• Bode, Dana L. "And now, a word from the amateurs". TransformativeWorks.org, Transformative Works and Cultures, 1 (2008).
• Fowler, Karen Joy. Wit's End. Putnam, 2008. A novel about a mystery writer who constantly battles fan fiction about her famous detective.
• Hellekson, Karen, and Kristina Busse. Fan fiction and fan communities in the age of the Internet: new essays. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co., 2006. ISBN 0-7864-2640-3.
• Jenkins, Henry. Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture (Studies in Culture and Communication). New York: Routledge, 1992. ISBN 0-415-90571-0.
• Lawrence, K. F. (2007) The Web of Community Trust - Amateur Fiction Online: A Case Study in Community Focused Design for the Semantic Web. PhD thesis, University of Southampton. (URL retrieved on 20 August 2008)
• Pugh, Sheenagh. The Democratic Genre: Fan Fiction in a Literary Context. Bridgend, Wales: Seren, 2005. ISBN 1-85411-399-2.
• Grossman, Lev. The Boy Who Lived Forever. http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2081784-1,00.html

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fan fiction

• Fanfiction.net—the largest fan fiction gallery on the internet
• Fanfics.ru-the largest fan fiction gallery in Russia
• Chilling Effects about copyright issues of fan fiction
• "Quentin Tarantino's Star Wars?: Digital Cinema, Media Convergence, and Participatory Culture"—Henry Jenkins on fan fiction

Daniel Radcliffe
Radcliffe at Make Believe On Broadway, 23 November 2011
Born	Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (1989-07-23) 23 July 1989 (age 22) London, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1999–present

Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (born 23 July 1989) is an English film and stage actor who rose to prominence playing the title character in the Harry Potter film series.

Radcliffe made his acting debut at age ten in BBC One's 1999 television movie David Copperfield, followed by his film debut in 2001's The Tailor of Panama. At age eleven he was cast as the title character in the first Harry Potter film, and he starred in the series for ten years until the release of the eighth and final film in July 2011. He also began to branch out to stage acting in 2007, starring in the London and New York productions of the play Equus and in the 2011 Broadway revival of the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. In addition, he starred in 2007's December Boys and the 2012 hit horror film The Woman in Black. He will play beat poet Allen Ginsberg in 2013 indie film Kill Your Darlings.

Radcliffe has contributed to many charities, including Demelza House Children's Hospice and The Trevor Project. He has also made public service announcements for the latter. In 2011, he was awarded the Trevor Project's "Hero Award".

Early life and education[link]

Radcliffe was born on 23 July 1989 in West London, England,^[1] the only child of Alan George Radcliffe, a literary agent, and Marcia Jeannine Gresham (née Marcia Gresham Jacobson), a casting agent who was involved in several films for the BBC, including The Inspector Lynley Mysteries and Walk Away And I Stumble.^[2][3] Radcliffe's mother is Jewish and a native of Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex;^[3][4] his father, originally from Northern Ireland, is Protestant.^[5] He was raised without religion.^[6] Radcliffe first expressed a desire to act at the age of five,^[7] and in December 1999, aged ten, he made his acting debut in the BBC One's televised two-part adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield, portraying the title character as a young boy.^[8]

Radcliffe was educated at two independent schools for boys:^[9] at Sussex House School, a day school in Cadogan Square in Chelsea in London,^[10] followed by the City of London School,^[11] a day school on the North Bank of the River Thames in London's financial district, known as the City of London.

Following the release of the first Harry Potter movie, attending school became hard for Radcliffe, with some fellow pupils becoming hostile. Radcliffe said it was people just trying to "have a crack at the kid that plays Harry Potter" rather than jealousy.^[12] As his acting career began to consume his schedule, Radcliffe continued his education through on-set tutors. He admitted he was not very good at school, considered it useless, and found the work to be "really, really difficult";^[9] however, he did achieve A grades in the three A-levels that he sat in 2006, but then decided to take a break from education and did not go to college or university.^[13] Part of the reason was that he already knew he wanted to act and write, and that it would be difficult to have a normal college experience. "The paparazzi, they’d love it," he told Details magazine in 2007. "If there were any parties going on, they’d be tipped off as to where they were".^[12]

Career[link]

[edit] Harry Potter

Radcliffe at the July 2009 premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

In 2000 producer David Heyman asked Radcliffe to audition for the role of Harry Potter for the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the best-selling book by British author J. K. Rowling.^[14][15] Rowling had been searching for an unknown British actor to personify the character; however, Radcliffe's parents did not want him to audition for the role, as the contract required shooting all seven films in Los Angeles, California, and so they did not tell him.^[16] The movie's director Chris Columbus recalled thinking, "This is what I want. This is Harry Potter", after he saw a video of the young actor in David Copperfield.^[16] Eight months later, and after several auditions, Radcliffe was selected to play the part.^[17] Rowling also endorsed the selection saying, "I don't think Chris Columbus could have found a better Harry."^[18] Radcliffe's parents originally turned down the offer, as they had been told that it would involve six films shot in Los Angeles.^[19] Warner Bros. instead offered Radcliffe a two-movie contract with shooting in the UK though,^[16] when signing up, Radcliffe was unsure if he would do any more pictures.^[20]

The release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (released as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States) took place in 2001. The story follows Harry, a young boy who learns he is a wizard and is sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to begin his education; gaining the help of friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) along the way. Radcliffe received a seven figure salary for the lead role, but asserted that the fee was "not that important" to him;^[21] his parents chose to invest the money for him.^[16] The film broke records for opening-day sales and opening-weekend takings, becoming the highest–grossing film of 2001. With a total of US$974 million in ticket sales, Philosopher's Stone stands as the second most commercially successful in the series behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, the final instalment.^[22] The adaptation was met with positive reviews and critics took notice of Radcliffe:^[23] "Radcliffe is the embodiment of every reader's imagination. It is wonderful to see a young hero who is so scholarly looking and filled with curiosity and who connects with very real emotions, from solemn intelligence and the delight of discovery to deep family longing," wrote Bob Graham of the San Francisco Chronicle.^[24]

Handprints, footprints and wand prints of (from left to right) Watson, Radcliffe, Grint.

A year later Radcliffe starred in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second instalment of the series. Reviewers were positive about the lead actors' performances but had polarised opinions on the movie as a whole. Stephen Hunter of the Washington Post labelled it "big, dull and empty".^[25] Observing that Radcliffe and his peers had matured, Los Angeles Times's staff writer Kenneth Turan believed the novel's magic could not be successfully duplicated in the film.^[26] Nonetheless, it still managed to earn US$878 million, taking the second spot of the highest-grossing 2002 films worldwide behind The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.^[27]

The 2004 release Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was the third film in the series. While garnering the highest critical acclaim of the series at that point^[23] and grossing US$795.6 million worldwide, the film's performance at the box office ranks the lowest in the series.^[22] Radcliffe's performance was panned by New York Times journalist A. O. Scott, who wrote that Watson had to carry him with her performance.^[28] Next was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005. The film set records for a Harry Potter opening weekend, as well as for a non-May opening weekend in the US and in the UK.^[29] The film eventually grossed US$896 million worldwide, and the film was the second-highest grossing Harry Potter film at that point.^[30] In a 2005 interview, Radcliffe singled out the humour as being a reason for the movie's creative success.^[31]

Despite the success of the previous three movies, the future of the franchise was put into question when all three lead actors were unsure about signing on to continue their roles for the final two episodes; however, by 2 March 2007 Radcliffe had signed for the final films, which put an end to weeks of press "speculation that he would be denied the role due to his involvement in Equus".^[32] Radcliffe reprised his role for the fifth time in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), which details Harry's return to Hogwarts after his encounter with Lord Voldemort in the previous film. It opened to positive responses from the press;^[23] IGN movie critic Steven Horn found Order of the Phoenix to be one of "those rare films that exceeds the source material"^[33] and Colin Bertram of New York's Daily News dubbed it the best movie in the series.^[34] Radcliffe stated that director David Yates and actress Imelda Staunton made Order of the Phoenix the "most fun" film in the series to work on.^[35] His performance earned several award nominations, and he received the 2008 National Movie Award for "Best Male Performance".^[36] As his fame and the series continued, Radcliffe, Grint and Watson left imprints of their hands, feet, and wands in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.^[37]

In July 2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was released, the series' sixth instalment. The film did considerably better than the previous movie, breaking the then-record for biggest midnight US showings with US$22.2 million at 3,000 theatres,^[38] and was the biggest ever Wednesday-opening in the UK, with US$7.6 million at 1,305 screens.^[39] Half-Blood Prince achieved a total of US$933 million ticket sales^[22] and was one of the most positively reviewed of the series among film critics, who praised the film's "emotionally satisfying" story, direction, cinematography, visuals and music.^[40][41][42] Radcliffe received nominations for "Best Male Performance" and "Global Superstar" at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards.^[43]

Radcliffe, Watson and Grint at the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 premiere in London.

For financial and scripting reasons the last book was divided into two films, shot back to back,^[44][45] which drew criticism from the series' fanbase. Radcliffe defended the split, pointing out that it would have been impossible to properly adapt the final novel into a single film.^[46] He added that the last movie was going to be extremely fast-paced with a lot of action, while the first part would be far more sedate, focusing on character development; he added that, had they combined them, those things would not have made it to the final cut.^[47] Filming lasted for a year, concluding in June 2010 and on the last day of shooting, like most of the cast and crew, Radcliffe openly wept.^[48] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) was about Harry, Ron and Hermione leaving Hogwarts to track down Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes, objects Voldemort has left part of his soul inside. The film was released in November and grossed over US$950 million.^[22] Its most lucrative territory was the UK, where it reportedly had the highest-grossing three-day opening in history; while its earnings of US$205 million, in 91 markets, made it the highest ever top-grossing non-US opening for a non-summer picture, and "the fourth-biggest-grossing international opening ever".^[49] The movie received mostly favourable reviews in the media.^[23]

The final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, was released worldwide starting on 13 July 2011 in Australia. The film concerns the battle against Voldemort's followers in Hogwarts, along with Harry's final climactic duel with Voldemort. Radcliffe, along with the film,^[23] was critically acclaimed: Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post asked, "Who could have predicted that Radcliffe, Grint and Watson would turn out to be good actors?";^[50] similarly, Rex Reed said: "Frankly, I’m sorry to see [Radcliffe] go";^[51] while Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers commented on Radcliffe: "Well played, sir."^[52] Among those who were less favourable, Roger Ebert said that Radcliffe, Grint and Watson were "upstaged by the supporting [actors]".^[53] The film broke several box office records, including biggest midnight release,^[54] biggest first-day opening,^[54] and biggest opening-weekend.^[55] Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is currently the third-highest grossing film in the world, and the highest-grossing non-James Cameron film, with more than US$1.3 billion worldwide.^[56] Radcliffe admitted that some people would never be able to separate him from the character, but also said he is "proud to be associated with this film series forever."^[57] Despite positive feelings about the movies, he has no interest in doing more Harry Potter films. After Rowling hinted about writing an eighth book, Radcliffe was asked if he would do another film to which he replied: "[It is] very doubtful. I think 10 years is a long time to spend with one character."^[58] Despite devoting so much time to the series, Radcliffe has asserted that he did not miss out on a childhood like other child actors: "I’ve been given a much better perspective on life by doing Potter."^[59]

2001–2009[link]

Radcliffe at December Boys premiere in 2007

Radcliffe made his film debut in The Tailor of Panama, an American 2001 film based on John le Carré's 1996 spy novel, and a moderate commercial success.^[22] In 2002 he made his stage debut as a celebrity guest in a West End theatre production of The Play What I Wrote, directed by Kenneth Branagh—who also appeared with him in the second Harry Potter film.^[8][60] In 2007 he appeared in the film December Boys, an Australian family drama about four orphans that was shot in 2005 and released to theatres in mid-September 2007.^[61] Also in 2007, Radcliffe co-starred with Carey Mulligan in My Boy Jack, a television drama film shown on ITV on Remembrance Day. The film received mostly positive reviews,^[62] with several critics praising Radcliffe's performance as an 18-year-old who goes missing in action during a battle.^[63][64][65] Radcliffe stated, "For many people my age, the First World War is just a topic in a history book. But I've always been fascinated by the subject and think it's as relevant today as it ever was."^[66]

Radcliffe in Theatre District, New York, 13 December 2008

At age 17, in a bid to show people he was not a kid any more,^[1] he performed onstage in Peter Shaffer's play Equus, which had not been revived since its first run in 1973, at the Gielgud Theatre.^[16] Radcliffe took on the lead role^[60] as Alan Strang, a stable boy who has an obsession with horses. Advance sales topped £1.7 million, and the role generated significant pre-opening media interest, as Radcliffe appeared in a nude scene.^[16][67] Equus opened on 27 February 2007 and ran until 9 June 2007.^[60] Radcliffe's performance received positive reviews^[68] as critics were impressed by the nuance and depth of his against-type role.^[69] Charles Spencer of The Daily Telegraph wrote that he "displays a dramatic power and an electrifying stage presence that marks a tremendous leap forward." He added: "I never thought I would find the diminutive (but perfectly formed) Radcliffe a sinister figure, but as Alan Strang ... there are moments when he seems genuinely scary in his rage and confusion."^[70] The production then transferred to Broadway in September 2008, with Radcliffe still in the lead role.^[71][72] Radcliffe stated he was nervous about repeating the role on Broadway because he considered American audiences more discerning than those in London.^[73] Radcliffe's performance was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.^[74]

2010–present[link]

After voicing a character in an episode of the animated television series The Simpsons in late 2010,^[75] Radcliffe debuted as J. Pierrepont Finch in the 2011 Broadway revival How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, a role previously held by Broadway veterans Robert Morse and Matthew Broderick.^[76] Other cast members included John Larroquette, Rose Hemingway and Mary Faber.^[77] Both the actor and production received favourable reviews,^[78] with USA Today commenting: "Radcliffe ultimately succeeds not by overshadowing his fellow cast members, but by working in conscientious harmony with them – and having a blast in the process."^[79] Radcliffe's performance in the show earned him Drama Desk Award, Drama League Award and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations.^[80][81][82] The production itself later received nine Tony Award nominations.^[83] Radcliffe left the show on 1 January 2012.^[84]

His first post-Harry Potter project was the 2012 horror film The Woman in Black, adapted from the 1983 novel by Susan Hill. The film was released on 3 February 2012 in the United States and Canada, and was released on 10 February in the UK. Radcliffe portrays a man sent to deal with the legal matters of a mysterious woman who has just died, and soon after he begins to experience strange events and hauntings from the ghost of a woman dressed in black.^[85] He has said he was "incredibly excited" to be part of the film and described the script as "beautifully written".^[86] Radcliffe's godson Mischa, the son of Thea Sharrock, who co-directed the revival of Equus with Radcliffe, portrayed Arthur's son in the film.^[87] Variety has confirmed Radcliffe will star in the indie comedy The Amateur Photographer, a film adaptation of the book of the same name, directed by Christopher Monger. Set in 1970, it follows a man (Radcliffe) who discovers his calling after being drafted by the residents of a small English mill town to serve as a photographer for their most personal moments.^[88]

He is set to portray Allen Ginsberg in the upcoming thriller drama Kill Your Darlings, directed by John Krokidas.^[89][90]

Personal life[link]

In 2008, Radcliffe revealed that he suffers from a mild form of the neurological disorder dyspraxia. The motor skill disorder sometimes gets so bad that he has trouble doing simple activities, such as writing or tying his own shoelaces. "I was having a hard time at school, in terms of being crap at everything, with no discernible talent," Radcliffe commented.^[91] In August 2010, he stopped drinking alcohol after finding himself becoming too reliant on it.^[92]

In 2012, Radcliffe stated, "I think of myself as being Jewish and Irish, despite the fact that I’m English."^[6] He has also said, "I'm an atheist, and a militant atheist when religion starts impacting on legislation",^[93] and that he is "very proud of being Jewish".^[94][95][96]

Radcliffe is a supporter of the Labour Party.^[97] Until 2012 Radcliffe had publicly supported the Liberal Democrats,^[98] and before the 2010 UK General Election Radcliffe endorsed Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader. In 2012, however, Radcliffe switched his allegiance to Labour, citing disappointment with the performance of Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems in government, and approving of the Labour leader, Ed Miliband.^[99] At the age of sixteen, Radcliffe became the youngest non-royal ever to have an individual portrait in Britain's National Portrait Gallery (NPG). On 13 April 2006 his portrait, drawn by Stuart Pearson Wright, was unveiled as part of a new exhibition opening at the Royal National Theatre; it was then moved to the NPG where it resides.^[100]

He is a fan of underground^[101] and punk rock music,^[102][103] and is a keen follower of cricket, including cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.^[104][105] Writing short stories and poetry is also a passion.^[106] In November 2007 Radcliffe published several poems under the pen name Jacob Gershon — a combination of his middle name and the Jewish version of his mother's maiden name Gresham — in Rubbish, an underground fashion magazine.^[96][106] He enjoys a close friendship with his fellow Harry Potter co-stars Tom Felton^[101] and Emma Watson,^[107] and is tight-knit with his family, whom he credits for keeping him grounded.^[108]

Radcliffe at the film premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 in Alice Tully Center, New York City in November 2010.

Speaking out against homophobia, Radcliffe began filming public service announcements in 2009 for The Trevor Project, promoting awareness of gay teen suicide prevention.^[109][110] He first learned of the organisation while working on Equus on Broadway in 2008^[110] and has contributed financially to it.^[111] "I have always hated anybody who is not tolerant of gay men or lesbians or bisexuals. Now I am in the very fortunate position where I can actually help or do something about it," he said in a 2010 interview. In the same interview, he spoke of the importance of public figures advocating for equal rights.^[110] Radcliffe considers his involvement to be one of the most important things in his career and,^[109] for his work for the organisation, he was given the "Hero Award" in 2011.^[109]

Radcliffe has supported various charities. He designed the Cu-Bed for Habitat's VIP Kids range (a cube made of eight smaller ones which can be made into a bed, chaise-longue or chair)^[112] with all the royalties from the sale of the bed going directly to his favourite charity, Demelza House Children's Hospice in Sittingbourne, Kent.^[113] Radcliffe has urged his fans to make donations, in lieu of Christmas presents to him, to the charity's Candle for Care program. In 2008 he was among several celebrities who donated their old glasses to an exhibit honouring victims of the Holocaust.^[114] During the Broadway run of Equus he auctioned off a pair of jeans he wore in the show for "thousands of dollars", as well as other items worn in the show, for the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS "a New York-based nonprofit HIV/AIDS grant-making organisation".^[115] He has also donated money to Get Connected UK, a London-based free confidential national helpline for troubled youth.^[116]

Sources disagree about Radcliffe's personal wealth; he was reported to have earned £1 million for the first Harry Potter film^[21] and around £15 million for the sixth.^[9] Radcliffe appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List in 2006, which estimated his personal fortune to be £14 million, making him one of the richest young people in the UK.^[117] In March 2009 he was ranked number one on the Forbes "Most Valuable Young Stars" list,^[118] and by April The Daily Telegraph measured his net worth at £30m, making him the 12th richest young person in the UK.^[119] Radcliffe was considered to be the richest teenager in England later that year.^[9] In February 2010 he was named the sixth highest paid Hollywood male star^[120] and placed at number five on Forbes's December list of Hollywood's highest-grossing actors^{[note 1]} with a revenue of US$780 million, mainly due to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows being released that year.^[121] Despite previous predictions that Radcliffe would have amassed £70m by the time the Harry Potter series concluded,^[119] the actor was reported to only have a wealth of £28.5 million in 2010. This still makes him richer than Princes William and Harry.^[122] Despite his wealth, Radcliffe has said he does not have expensive tastes and that his main expense is buying books: "I read a lot."^[123] He also stated that money would never be the focus of his life.^[9]

In January 2012, Radcliffe said he was in a relationship with production assistant Rosie Coker.^[124]

Filmography[link]

Film[link]

Television[link]

Theatre[link]

Awards[link]

See also[link]

• List of Harry Potter cast members

Notes[link]

References[link]