Daniel Radcliffe Admits One Harry Potter Co Star Loved Causing Chaos on Set

Daniel Radcliffe is looking back on his Harry Potter years with a lot of laughs, and one co-star keeps coming up in his favorite memories. While appearing on the YouTube show Hot Ones on February 19, Radcliffe shared stories about the late Michael Gambon and the playful chaos he brought to the set.

The conversation came up as Radcliffe answered questions while eating spicy wings. As he talked about filming the Harry Potter movies, he made it clear that Gambon was nothing like the serious image some fans might expect. Gambon took over the role of Dumbledore starting with the third film and quickly became known for his jokes and pranks behind the scenes.

Radcliffe explained that Gambon never treated the job like something heavy or intense. He said the best actors are the ones who do their work well without making everyone else feel the pressure. He added that the coolest people on set are those who do their job without constantly reminding others how hard they are working.

Talking about Gambon, Radcliffe said he was both a mentor and a friend. He laughed as he recalled how Gambon f*ed around all the time* and never really stopped until the director finally called action. According to Radcliffe, Gambon loved making the younger cast laugh and did not believe in acting mysterious or overly serious.

One memory that stood out came from filming a dark and intense scene in the sixth movie, when Harry and Dumbledore cross a lake together. Radcliffe said Gambon broke the tension by asking if they were filming a scene he called TTIAB, which he explained meant Two tw*ts in a boat*.

He also joked about shots where only the back of his head was seen, calling them BOHNAR, short for Back of head no acting required. Radcliffe also talked about the future of the Harry Potter world and the new HBO series now in the works.

He shared kind words about Dominic McLaughlin, the young actor cast as the new Harry. Radcliffe said I’m sure Dominic is going to be better than me and admitted he was still learning how to act while filming the original movies.

The upcoming series also stars John Lithgow as Dumbledore and Nick Frost as Hagrid. While the show is expected to arrive in 2027, Radcliffe has said he will not appear in it and wants the new cast to have a clean break.

Outside of the wizarding world, Radcliffe is staying busy. He is set to star in the upcoming film Trust the Man and continues to focus on stage work after his Tony-winning run in Merrily We Roll Along. There are also rumors that he may return to Broadway again later this year.

Even though Harry Potter will always be part of his story, Radcliffe’s career keeps moving forward. Between new films, stage projects, and fond memories of co-stars like Michael Gambon, he is clearly enjoying where life has taken him after Hogwarts.

Have something to add? Share your thoughts in the comments.