Sunday Life

Naked Harry Potter upsets parents

(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-01-31 07:24

He's known to millions around the world as a bespectacled schoolboy wizard.

But parents of Harry Potter fans have been shocked by 17-year-old actor Daniel Radcliffe's publicity shots for his latest play in London's West End.

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe cuddles up to topless co-star Joanna Christie and poses next to a horse. His publicity shots for controversial play Equus have angered parents of young Hogwarts fans. File

In a series of raunchy images Radcliffe, who was only 11 when he landed the role of Harry Potter, has discarded his cape and wand and appears semi-naked, cuddling up to beautiful topless co-star Joanna Christie, who plays his girlfriend, or posing alongside a white horse.

The pictures are to promote a production of Peter Schaffer's controversial Equus at the Gielgud Theater. Equus tells the story of a stable-hand who develops an erotic fixation for horses.

The racy images have already became popular with the young wizard's legions of female teenage fans, and have been posted on Harry Potter fan websites.

But parents are up in arms and are bombarding the websites with angry e-mails.

One reads: "We as parents feel Daniel should not appear nude. Our nine-year-old son looks up to him as a role model. We are very disappointed and will avoid the future movies he makes."

Radcliffe's spokeswoman Vanessa Davies told reporters: "Daniel does not want to step away from Harry Potter, but he does want to show he is a rounded actor capable of very different roles.

"He has tremendous support from Harry Potter fans," she added.

Besides the controversial promotion shots, Equus will also see Radcliffe appear naked on stage.

Producer David Pugh said the teenaged had no problems with the naked scenes.

"He has a confidence in his own appearance. With the performances that I've witnessed, when that boy takes his shirt off, Harry Potter has flown out of Hogwarts for good," he said.

He added that the play's female director, Thea Sharrock, was impressed by his physique.

Producer Pugh said: "We had never seen him with clothes off before. We all went 'Wow'. Thea went 'Oh my God'.

"When we did the audition, we never thought to say, 'Would you go naked for us?'

"We were so overwhelmed with his talent that we set that aside."

The play also reunites Radcliffe with another Harry Potter veteran Richard Griffiths who plays the psychiatrist treating Radcliffe's character, appeared in the films as odious Uncle Vernon.

Agencies

(China Daily 01/31/2007 page9)