Daniel Radcliffe

Radcliffe was intrigued by acting at an early age, but his parents initially dismissed his aspirations until 1999, when he played the title character in a British TV-movie of David Copperfield and won raves for his poised performance. A dead-ringer for the fictional wizard Harry Potter (judging by the books' illustrations, at least), Radcliffe soon landed the coveted role in the 2001 film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The movie was a smashing success, breaking international box-office records and turning him into an instant star and a very rich young man. Radcliffe went on to appear in five Potter films between 2001 and 2007, leaving him little time to pursue outside projects besides high school. Audiences loved watching this charming adolescent grow up on screen in tandem with his cinematic alter ego. In 2007, in order to differentiate himself from his seminal role, he made a wise career move by appearing in a revival of Equus on the London stage. His performance as a mentally disturbed teen wowed critics but stunned some of his longtime fans, particularly since one scene required him to appear completely nude.