Daniel Radcliffe opens up about life with son, while keeping his profession hidden

Daniel Radcliffe has said his young son has no understanding that his father is famous, and the actor hopes to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE, Radcliffe recalled a moment at home when his child briefly recognised him from a television commercial for his Broadway work.

The Harry Potter star, 36, explained that he had stepped out of the room when the advertisement aired, leading to an unexpected reaction from his son.

“He just goes, with the tone of voice that was like, 'I'm not crazy right?' He just goes, 'Dada?' Then he was like, 'Did he leave?' because he thought because I left the room that I had then suddenly appeared on the TV.”

Radcliffe reflected on how difficult it is to explain his profession to a child. “You know your job is a bulls--- job when you can't describe it to a child,” he said, adding that acting becomes hard to contextualise compared with more traditional roles.

“He's truly so far away from having a concept of what I do, and I'm going to keep him in the dark as long as possible.”

Radcliffe shares his son with actress Erin Darke, with the couple welcoming their child in April 2023. They have kept his name private and maintained a low profile around family life.

The actor has previously said he would prefer his child to avoid fame, though he has expressed openness to them working in film in a behind-the-scenes capacity rather than as a public figure.

Radcliffe is currently starring in the Broadway production Every Brilliant Thing, a role that has earned him a Tony Award nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Play at the 2026 ceremony.