Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe cast a spell over Hollywood and paid an emotional tribute to his parents as he unveiled his star on the Walk of Fame.
Radcliffe, who was just 11 when he first played the young wizard in the film adaptations of the hit book series, revealed his star in front of the Dolby Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard where the Oscars are held.
Joined by director Chris Columbus, who directed him in the first two movies and served as a producer on three, Radcliffe was cheered on by hundreds of fans, many wearing Hogwarts scarves.
Radcliffe, 26, said: “Thank you for this star. It is incredibly surreal and still slightly overwhelming.
“A few months ago I was walking along here with a couple of friends and was slightly in awe and slightly overwhelmed by the names I was going to be joining.
“Growing up in England, when you hear the word Hollywood, right after you picture the sign on the hill, you picture these stars. It feels a very long way from when you grow up in Fulham to this.”
If you get to work in this job, by sheer virtue of statistics, you are one of the luckiest people on earth
Addressing the crowd of devoted supporters, he added: “The fans of the Harry Potter films are unique and amazing and wonderful and still, six years on since I finished them, I am constantly being amazing by their passion, their curiosity and by the fact they are interested in so many other things than Harry Potter, and that is a curiosity that was fostered by Jo Rowling [the author of the books] and passed on to all of you.
Daniel Radcliffe during a ceremony honouring him with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, on Thursday. Photo: Danny Moloshok/Reuters“It means an incredible amount to me that Chris Columbus is here today to come to this, a huge amount of the excitement and enthusiasm I have for this industry was instilled in me by Chris on those first two Potter films that we were shooting with the Dursleys at this time of year fifteen or sixteen years ago.”
Radcliffe has starred in a string of films and plays that are a sharp contrast to the Harry Potter series and said that passion for movies remains with him to this day.
“There have been many very, very, very good days in my life and there have been a few much less good days but, regardless of what kind of day I was having, I was always lucky because there was always a film to make and a film set to go to and a crew of people waiting to make it with me.
“Dog died? Go make a movie. Failed some exams? Go make a movie. Had your first kiss? Go celebrate by making a movie.
“If you get to work in this job, by sheer virtue of statistics, you are one of the luckiest people on earth and so none of us who are lucky enough to do it should ever forget that and I promise you that I won’t.”
He ended his speech with an emotional tribute to his parents Alan and Marcia.
“I never thank them and I’m not going to look at them because that would be a mistake for all of us. I want to thank my mum and dad, who really do not like this kind of attention so will probably be getting embarrassed right now.
“I have to thank them because they are the best parents. It was a crazy thing that we embarked on as a family 16 years ago but we made it and I made it thanks to you.”
Speaking after the ceremony, Radcliffe told the Press Association: “I feel so unbelievably lucky to be in this industry and be a part of it every time I step on set and this really feels like a celebration of that and for the industry I love to say this back to me is just amazing.”
His latest film, Victor Frankenstein, will be released in UK cinemas on December 3.