Daniel Radcliffe on Alcohol Abuse and Overcoming the “Child Actor” stigma

July 15^th marks the end of an era for Harry Potter fans with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, but even more so for Daniel Radcliffe, who has grown up and been defined by his work on the iconic franchise.

Radcliffe was only 11 years old when he was thrust into the spotlight and by 18 he started enjoying, and abusing, the perks of celebrity.

He recently told Telegraph that, “I became so reliant on [alcohol] to enjoy stuff…there were a few years there when I was just so enamored with the idea of living some sort of famous person’s lifestyle that really isn’t suited to me.” Eventually Radcliffe realized that he was trying to be someone he wasn’t, and hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol since August of last year. Now, he is focusing on having a low-key lifestyle and forging ahead with his post-Potter career.

Radcliffe is also personally attempting to derail any stigma attached to the “child actor.” Outside of Potter, he has appeared on stage in Equus, and is currently acting in Broadway’s How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. In addition to his stage career, he dove right back into film and recently finished filming The Woman in Black. “If I can make a career for myself after Potter, and it goes well, and is varied and with longevity, then that puts to bed the ‘child actors’ argument… If I can do it, in the biggest film franchise of all time, no other child actor who comes after will ever have to answer those same bloody questions.”