Daniel Radcliffe’s breakout role in the Harry Potter series has landed him exciting acting opportunities. Each one is vastly different from the character of Harry Potter. Whereas Harry is the burden of responsibility that comes with being “the boy who lived”, Radcliffe also has that title, with almost everyone wondering when he will return as the wizard.

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For Radcliffe, he’s been increasing his portfolio with unique roles ever since the finale of the franchise with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. His characters are vastly different from Potter, with some being crazy, pathetic, or downright villainous.

10 Daniel Radcliffe, Trainwreck

daniel radcliffe as the dog walker

2015’s Trainwreck was the story of a young magazine writer (Amy Schumer) who soon finds herself falling hopelessly in love after a chance meeting with a sports doctor (Bill Hader). Daniel Radcliffe’s appearance in this film is only a cameo film, but it’s one of the funniest moments of the entire movie.

Radcliffe plays a fictional version of himself, staring in a film called “The Dog Walker”, a black-and-white picture in which Radcliffe struggles to walk the many dogs on leashes. Radcliffe manages to make his acting ability seem poor in these scenes as if he is bored and just reading lines, which adds to the humor of his character.

9 Igor, Victor Frankenstein

igor played by daniel radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe plays Igor Strausman, the assistant to Victor Frankenstein (James McAvoy). The duo has great on-screen chemistry, and their characters care for each other, and it is entirely believable. The pairing becomes fugitives in Victor Frankenstein as they try to complete their goals to create life from death through the use of science, with Frankenstein’s goals taking importance above all else.

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Igor’s role in this film is more about dealing with Frankenstein’s havoc and fixing the horrifying messes of his experiments. Igor feels a sense of guilt in the disapproval of Frankenstein’s work since, without the doctor, Igor would still be regarded as a circus attraction for his back. It's still set before the elusive lore of Hogwarts Legacy.

8 Tim Jenkin, Escape From Pretoria

tim jenkins played by daniel radcliffe and the real tim jenkins

This gritty drama centers around two white South Africans, who were imprisoned in the notorious Pretoria Prison for working on behalf of the African National Congress. Radcliffe plays Tim Jenkins, the real-life escapee, and political captive. This location is somehow worse than Hogwarts.

Escape From Pretoria was an opportunity for Radcliffe to prove he was more than just wizards and wands, and much like his other roles, he succeeds here. The film has intense, breathtaking moments and proves how much great talent in Radcliffe is in his acting ability.

7 Allen Ginsberg, Kill Your Darlings

allen ginsberg and lucian carr

Kill Your Darlings is another Radcliffe film that features true events and characters. Here, Radcliffe plays Allen Ginsberg, an aspiring Columbian University student, who leaves behind his working-class poet father (David Cross), and his ill mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh) at their request.

The film follows the relationship between Allen and Lucien (Dane Dehaan) and is only deepened as they share their experiences of an emotionally troubled past and a passion for literature and poetry. Radcliffe brilliantly portrays love, friendship, and the hardships of doing the right thing, even if it means losing what you love for the sake of justice.

6 Abigal Fairfax, The Lost City

daniel radcliffe as abigal fairfax

The more recently released entry, The Lost City was a 2022 film that centered around a reclusive romance novelist (Sandra Bullock) and her cover model (Channing Tatum), who is kidnapped by the eccentric and overtly rich Abigal Fairfax. Fairfax is Daniel Radcliffe’s character and acts as the antagonist for The Lost City.

His character has the obsessive desire to find the treasure of The Lost City, and nothing will prevent his findings. He’s a blatant egotist, with a keen mind for manipulation and sadism, and if someone needs to get hurt to further his goals, then so be it. Radcliffe plays him with an asinine charm and somewhat of a brat.

5 “Weird Al” Yankovic, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

weird al played by daniel radcliffe

Distancing oneself from Harry Potter couldn’t be easier than portraying the real-life musical talent of “Weird Al” Yankovic. Although the film has not been released, Radcliffe has immersed himself in the role with facial features, body, and voice. His American accent is thick, and his desire for accordions is strong. Weird Al is one of few people who would somehow seem normal with a magical creature as a pet.

Radcliffe’s portrayal of Yankovic has yet to be seen in its entirety, as Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is slated for a 2022 Fall release, but it is one to keep on the radar. It’s a quirky role for a quirky character, and further adds to the intrigue of Radcliffe’s career choices and talents.

4 Ignatius Perrish, Horns

ig parish played by daniel radcliffe

After a man is accused of the sexual assault and subsequent murder of his girlfriend, Ignatius Perrish (Daniel Radcliffe) finds an unhealthy and mysterious curse growing on his temples. Perrish develops a set of devil horns. Drowning in guilt for a crime he did not commit, Radcliffe perfectly encapsulates the feelings of a depressed man who has lost it all. This character could have certainly used a mentor like Dumbledore.

Horns set the course, and Perrish seeks to use the magical abilities of the horns to discover who truly killed the woman he loved, so that he may free his name from the slander, and relieve the horns upon his head. The supernatural thriller is charmed up by Radcliffe’s performance.

3 Arthur Kipps, The Woman In Black

Daniel Radcliffe as Arthur Kipps in The Woman In Black

Radcliffe fits in perfectly with this well-crafted production of The Woman in Black. The film follows a young solicitor (Daniel Radcliffe) who travels to a village to examine the house of a recently deceased woman. Arthur Kipps discovers an eeriness about the isolated manor and discovers that it is indeed haunted by a vengeful ghost, of a woman dressed in black.

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The ghost seeks to kill the children of the village, and Radcliffe’s character is desperate to solve the mystery and stop more innocent locals from being murdered. It’s a great horror and one that challenges audiences’ depiction of Radcliffe’s more well-known roles of Harry Potter, for who knows if this protagonist will survive the story?

2 Miles Lee Harris, Guns Akimbo

daniel radcliffe as miles lee

As a programmer in a dead-end job, and still, hopelessly in love with his ex-girlfriend, Miles (Daniel Radcliffe) spends his time wasted, trolling anonymously on the internet. What seems like an ordinary character study, wastes no time in entering the crazed territory. This is by far one of Radcliffe’s more ludicrous roles, as he embarks on an action comedy adventure. His casting is always great, which some fans don't believe for certain Harry Potter characters.

Miles finds himself on the run, with his hands bolted with two large pistols. Guns Akimbo follows Miles as he frantically tries to fight an insane and gun-crazed maniac, whilst partaking in the sadistic game to overcome his fears and stop the woman he loves from being threatened. Seeing Radcliffe sport pajamas and dual-wielded pistols is bizarre fun.

1 Manny, Swiss Army Man

manny the corpse

What way to further distance himself from Harry Potter than to portray a literal corpse? Swiss Army Man follows Hank (Paul Dano) stranded on an island. His desperation leads him to try suicide until he discovers a dead body on the shore. After befriending Manny (Daniel Radcliffe), he embarks on an adventure with his corpse friend to escape the island.

Radcliffe plays a corpse unable to control his flatulence, and it’s entirely insane and wildly entertaining. It’s a great film with wholesome scenes, dark comedy, and great talent with Radcliffe and Dano’s chemistry, and newfound desire to live. Voldermort would love this dead version of Potter.

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