Daniel Radcliffe Shares How Young Fame Led To Teen Drinking Problems
Daniel Radcliffe opened up about his early fame, and how public pressure and the spotlight caused him to develop a drinking problem in his teens.
By NathanG on February 20, 2019
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe recently shared how his massive fame as a child led to a drinking problem in his teens.
According to Buzzfeed News, Radcliffe explained how he would often get drunk to cope with the overwhelming fame and public scrutiny. Being thrust into the spotlight contributed to his feeling of being watched all the time. Radcliffe shared that his lack of understanding of how to deal with this pressure led to alcohol abuse in his late teens.
“In my case, the quickest way to forget about the fact that you’re being watched is to get very drunk,” the actor revealed. “And then as you get very drunk, you become aware that ‘Oh, people are watching more now because now I’m getting very drunk, so I should probably drink more to ignore that more.'”
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This destructive cycle that Radcliffe experienced has helped him relate to other child actors who received pressure from fame. “That’s like when people have a go at Justin Bieber and drag racing cars. I’m like, yeah, but ya know, I don’t know — stuff could be super crazy for him right now.”
Radcliffe eventually broke through his struggles with drinking. With the help of those close to him, he kicked his habit and overcame his challenges with fame. “Even at the lowest point, I still loved my job so much,” Radcliffe said. “I loved going to set, and there was never a day where my own [feelings] would affect how I was on set, there was never a point where I was like, ‘Oh, I wish this hadn’t happened to me, I wish I wasn’t Harry Potter.'” he said.
To read more about Radcliffe and his career journey, click here.
