TheDailySnitcher

TheDailySnitcher took part in a conference call with Daniel Radcliffe in which he talked at length about Deathly Hallows: Part 1, including major themes, difficulties with filming and more. Dan did talk about Deathly Hallows: Part 2, so that will be saved for closer to the release of that film next year. We asked the first question, which was how did Dan like playing the other characters in the Seven Potters scene. 

You can check out the transcript of the entire interview with info relating to Deathly Hallows: Part 1 by clicking the "Read More" button!

What was it like playing the other characters for the Seven Potters scene?

Daniel Radcliffe: Oh, it was bizarre; some were easier than others to kind of impersonate. The actor Andy, who played Mundungus, was kind of the easiest because Andy has a very, kind of a idiosyncratic walk and way about him. He was easy to imitate. But you know, Rupert was very difficult, because Rupert's got a - you know, his walk - you wouldn’t expect that about Rupert. When you actually analyze it, Rupert’s got a real wiggle in the hips when he walks. That was slightly unexpected. He was one of the slightly tricky ones.

But it was great fun And I think it’s going to be a very funny, good scene as well because normally if you see split screen stuff in films it’s often the case that you can see the join, as it were. Where one actor is more apt to playing two on screen at the same time, they don’t really cross over into each other’s space very often. Whereas in this scene, the way we did it was very, very clever and rather brilliant so that we can have everything overlapping. Obviously it’s an actor’s dream – there are seven of me on screen at one time. It’s fantastic!

How was it playing Hermione?

Dan: That was fun. The girls were very, very funny. I think the crew were slightly worried that I was walking around a little too confidently in those heels of Fleur’s. But it was very good fun.

Entertainment Weekly announced the split point for Deathly Hallows this week (note this took place in August) - last week, rather, where Voldemort gains possession of the Elder Wand from Dumbledore's tomb. How long have you known about this split point, why this was chosen, and what's your opinion of this scene being chosen as the end of part one?

Dan: Well, to be honest with you, Entertainment Weekly had been a little bit preemptive in that, because we don't actually know when the split's going to be, yet. So, that's not confirmed, I have to say. I mean, I haven't actually hear that, as one of the places that it might be.

That would be - as an option - would be kind of very appropriate, and a good suspenseful moment to have. I mean, it's, at the moment it's sort of within, in or around sort of a few scenes different of where it could be, but I won’t say where it might be, yet, in case I'm then proved very, very wrong. (laughs) I hate to disappoint you on that one.

I heard rumours that it could be right before Malfoy Manor. Is there some truth in that, without saying too much?

Dan: There is, but it could be - you know - it could be ten scenes earlier or it could be ten scenes later. We genuinely don't know, at the moment, I'm afraid.

Which film was your favorite hair look?

Dan: I would probably say either the third film or the last one – these ones we’ve just finished. I think those are the two in which we’ve got the hair most right. To be honest, my favorite time I ever look is when I’m covered in mud and blood and sweat. I think that’s how I look best. It’s obviously hard to achieve that look in day-to-day life, but still it’s certainly I think how I look strongest. With those kinds of scenes also it’s weirdly helpful. It does actually help you get into the character and get into the scene if you are covered in all that stuff. It’s actually very helpful in terms of helping your performance.

What would your reaction be to doing something like Harry Potter the musical for stage?

Dan: My reaction would be pretty negative to that. I think, you know, Harry Potter is - there are books and there are films - and I mean, hey, a radio play could work. I don't know how it would be done as a musical. I'm ready to be proved wrong. But I think it's a bit of a long shot and in my opinion it's not the kind of film that would make a good musical. I don't think it lends itself to those things, and I think it would be very hard to achieve a lot of hype. What am I trying to say here? Basically, if I'm being perfectly honest, I just don't think it would work and I don't think I would be particularly a big fan of that idea. 

What was the most challenging thing to film physically and emotionally [in Deathly Hallows]?

Dan: Physically? Well underwater stuff is always pretty tricky and in this case it was particularly tricky because there's a big fight scene and I'm going into a frozen lake to get the locket, and the Horcrux is fighting for its existence and it's trying to kill me. It will be hopefully terrifying and sort of semi homage to The Omen where I'm dragged up against this bit of ice and sort of torn around by the locket. So that was pretty challenging. Other than that.. the stuff actually in the Gringott's Bank. The Lestrange vault where all the treasure is multiplying and multiplying. That was very hard because the way we did it, we had moving platforms on the set. So that as the treasure multiplied, the platforms would move up and we'd have to struggle onto the next one and the next one. And, yeah, I don't think my calf muscles have ever worked so hard. So that was physically challenging scene.

Emotionally? I mean all the stuff early on in the film. In the first part, with Rupert. I mean it's very hard - as you all know - to hate Rupert Grint in performance terms. So that was a challenge. But hopefully some really really good scenes come out of it. Also all the scenes in Godric's Hollow where Harry sees his parent's tombstone. They were obviously big, emotional moments. And Harry being such a battle hardened - almost desensitized person at this stage. Dealing with emotions that he doesn't know how to show because he's [in audible] emotions for so long and that's how he's managed to survive. He keeps his sanity by sort of ignoring, a lot of the time, his tragic past and how he feels about it. So to combine the hardship with the stoic moments was a challenge, but one I thoroughly enjoyed.

We've heard that Part 1 is going to be more of a road movie and more different than the other Harry Potter films. Was it a different experience playing a different Harry?

Dan: Absolutely. It’s a very different film. It’s bizarre, in a way. I don’t think we were aware how different it was at the time of filming. At the time we were just doing scenes like we’d do any other scenes. We weren’t really thinking about how different it was going to eventually seem. But then when I saw the trailer and saw the extra footage I’ve seen, it just struck me how very different it’s going to be because we’ve never seen these characters in this different context before.

I think it’s one of the things that makes the first film so exciting. You see these characters stripped of their comfortable safe surroundings, and suddenly just out in the wilderness together. The first one, as well as being that road movie, because they’re all overexposed and it’s such a different situation, you learn a lot more about how those characters function in that situation. It’s a real exploration of the relationships between them and the flaws – particularly Harry and Ron, because Hermione as always is the voice of reason. Harry and Ron do fall apart to some degree. It’s a very different feel to it. I think, hopefully, people will be very excited by that.

For people who haven’t read the book, do you think the fan’s reaction will turn in the first half of the movie against Dumbledore because of Rita’s book?

Dan: I hope so. That’s the intention. That, for me, is what the first film is about. It’s about faith. It’s about how far can one’s faith be tested before you give in entirely. Harry’s a Job figure in the book in the first part. He hears so much about Dumbledore that is less than esteemable. He starts to really question why he’s going on this insane, demanding mission, which is costing him his friends and potentially will cost his life - for somebody he starts to question the values of. Hopefully at the end of the first film people should be very much wondering, “Well, what was Dumbledore’s real agenda?” They should question it because that is ultimately what we want them to do.

I also think, while I’m on the topic of talking about faith is also about as Harry loses faith in Dumbledore and starts to fall apart, so Ron and Hermione lose faith in Harry. Harry becomes … I was also comparing him to a Roman Emperor in the last days of the empire just getting paranoid, isolated and puffing himself up. I always felt with Harry there is an element of a martyr complex in him. He doesn’t want to reach out for help. He wants to be the sacrifice. He wants to do it alone. There’s a pride/arrogance, which means he won’t always reach out to other people. When, if fact, he should. When, in fact, he’s actually endangering his own chances of succeeding in this mission and, therefore, the chances of saving the good of the magical world by not asking for help and not accepting help.

Now that it’s all over have you kept any mementos from the series?

Dan: I’ve got two pairs of glasses. One from the seventh film which were lensless because we use two sets of glasses on films: lensed and lensless. We use lensless for camera reflections and things like that. And also I have a lensed pair from the first film, which are just these tiny little things now that a boy I used to know used to wear. It’s very sweet and they both have pride of place in my home. And actually I’m probably going to get broken into now that I’ve told you that. That was the only thing that I wanted. I didn’t want the wand. I clearly didn’t want the broom. Those were the only thing I had my heart set on.

If you had to choose to take the journey that Harry takes in the movie in real life, would you and why?

Dan: I think I would if I had the same responsibility that Harry had, I’d like to think that I would be as selfless and as brave as he could be. I think we all would like to think that. And recognize the importance of what he had to do for the good of all of those people that he loves and the people he has to help protect. So, yes, I think I would. Although I don’t think any of us are as brave as Harry.