Daniel Radcliffe opens up about being mistaken for Elijah Wood

Radcliffe believes there are worse people to be confused with than a beloved fantasy hero

Daniel Radcliffe has opened up about one of the most enduring pop culture mix-ups of his career: being mistaken for fellow actor Elijah Wood. And rather than finding it frustrating, the Harry Potter star says he actually takes it in stride.

Speaking in a recent interview, Radcliffe reflected on how the confusion began in the early 2000s, when both he and Wood were rising to global fame at the same time — Radcliffe as the Boy Who Lived in Harry Potter and Wood as Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings.

“Yes, I did a really nice interview with him once and I really like him and felt so bad that we have been mixed up so much because also I was getting it when, at the start of Potter when Lord of the Rings was coming out, he was, you know, a man in his 20s. I was 12 or 13,” Radcliffe said. “A 13 year old doesn’t mind getting mistaken for a man in his 20s. I can only imagine it would have been very annoying for a 20 year old to be mistaken for a child.”

Despite the mix-ups, Radcliffe said Wood has always been gracious about the confusion, and the two share a similar perspective when it comes to their careers.

“He’s very, very gracious and always, you know, I feel like we’ve got very similar outlooks on our careers and that we just do what we like,” he explained. “He’s a very nice person to get mistaken for as well. He’s got a lovely reputation and he’s done lovely, great films.”

The actor even admitted that he leans into the confusion when it brings fans joy.

“It’s nice to be able to go like, yes, I’m glad you enjoyed Lord of the Rings because I never want to rob somebody of the joy that they think they’ve met Elijah Wood and they think that’s made their day,” Radcliffe said. “So I’ll just be like, yep.”

For Radcliffe, who has spent much of his post-Potter career choosing eclectic, offbeat roles, the mix-up is ultimately harmless, and even flattering. After all, as he sees it, there are worse people to be confused with than a beloved fantasy hero.