Daniel Radcliffe has revealed that he reached out personally to Dominic McLaughlin — the young actor who will take on the iconic role of Harry Potter in the upcoming HBO series — and that the message he received in return was unexpectedly heartfelt. Despite the complicated public dynamic Radcliffe has had with the Harry Potter franchise in recent years, particularly surrounding his very public disagreement with author J.K. Rowling, he has shown that he still cares deeply about the new generation stepping into the Wizarding World.

Radcliffe explained that he wrote the letter because he didn’t want to overshadow or intimidate the new cast in any way. Speaking on Good Morning America, he said he wanted to avoid becoming “a spectre in the life of these children.” Instead, his goal was simply to encourage the next young actor about to carry the enormous weight of a global cultural phenomenon.

Dominic McLaughlin, the new Harry Potter (HBO)

He shared that his message to McLaughlin was warm and sincere:
“I just wanted to write to him to say, ‘I hope you have the best time, and an even better time than I did — I had a great time, but I hope you have an even better time.’” Radcliffe added that seeing early photos of McLaughlin and the rest of the young cast made him unexpectedly emotional. “They just seem so young. I just look at them and say, ‘Oh, it’s crazy I was doing that at that age.’ But it’s also incredibly sweet and I hope they’re having a great time.”

Radcliffe spoke about sending the letter to the new Harry Potter actor (GMA)

Radcliffe also revealed that McLaughlin wrote back with what he described as a “very sweet note,” something that clearly touched him. The exchange has sparked hope among fans that the original Harry might somehow participate in the reboot — perhaps as a cameo or as a different character entirely — but Radcliffe has consistently tried to temper expectations.

When asked about returning to the Wizarding World in any capacity, Radcliffe has repeatedly suggested that it’s unlikely. In past comments to ComicBook.com, he said he believes the HBO series is designed to start from scratch with a new creative vision. “Whoever is making them will want to make their own mark on it,” he explained. “I don’t think they want to figure out how to get old Harry to cameo in this somewhere.”

The original trio and JK Rowling no longer see eye to eye (Jon Furniss via Getty Images)

He added that while he fully supports the new production team and the new generation of actors, he doesn’t think his presence is necessary — or even helpful — to the fresh approach the studio is aiming for. “I do wish them all the luck in the world,” he said, “and I’m very excited to have that torch passed. But I don’t think it needs me to physically pass it.”

In another interview with E! News, Radcliffe doubled down on the idea that the reboot deserves to be its own separate creation. While some fans have dreamed of seeing him return as James Potter or even Sirius Black in a reimagined capacity, Radcliffe said: “I don’t think so. I think they very wisely want a clean break. And I don’t know if it would work to have us do anything in it.”

Despite the slim chances of his involvement, Radcliffe’s letter — and the warm response he received — shows that he still feels a connection to the role that defined his childhood and early adulthood. His support for McLaughlin may not signal an on-screen return, but it does mark a touching moment of goodwill between generations of Hogwarts heroes.

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Sources (as required):
(Good Morning America, ComicBook.com, E! News, Warner Bros)