Starring in a world-renowned and award-winning film saga such as Harry Potter would be any actor's dream. In fact, Daniel Radcliffe met global fame before the age of eleven, and for a decade, he grew up in the public eye as Harry Potter, the beloved and famous wizard who defeated Voldemort. But there is a problem with these major roles: they affect the actors by boxing them into a single role. For a long time, Radcliffe and Harry Potter were, in the eyes of the audience, the same person. Not to speak of the danger of not re-inventing oneself, being forgotten, and therefore being only remembered for one good role as a child actor.

That is why, over the years, the English actor worked hard to amaze audiences in new roles, proving that he is much more versatile and risk-taking than he had shown us at the beginning of his career, deliberately starring in several movies that completely separated him from what had been, so far, his most important role. Clearly, among Radcliffe's best performances, there is a fair amount of the Harry Potter saga, but there is much more to the actor than being The Boy Who Lived. Therefore, let's take a look at some of his best performances unrelated to the Harry Potter saga.

Update January 6, 2024: This article has been updated with even more great Daniel Radcliffe roles that are not Harry Potter, including a few recent films.

10 December Boys (2007)

December Boys
December Boys
PG-13
Drama
Documentary
Romance
Release Date
September 20, 2007
Director
Rod Hardy
Cast
Daniel Radcliffe , Lee Cormie , Christian Byers , James Fraser , Jack Thompson , Teresa Palmer

December Boys is a drama film from 2007, which was directed by Rob Hardy, and tells the story of four boys from an orphanage. While their fate of finding themselves in this place already connects them tremendously, it is actually their birthday month, which brings them even closer together. Misty, Maps (Radcliffe), Spark, and Spit all have their birthdays in the month of December, and, as a gift, they are sent on a trip to the coast of a place called Lady Star Cove in beautiful Australia. Living there for the time being with a couple, the four boys learn more about the complexities of brotherhood and family, each of them letting their minds wander to explore their biggest desires.

What Makes It Great

Together with Lee Cormie as Misty, Christian Byers as Spark, and James Fraser as Spit, Daniel Radcliffe delivers a touching performance, despite their rather young age. Their chemistry is immediately palpable, their connections are relatable, and their thought processes are authentic. December Boys is a wonderful depiction of how four boys grow together amid difficult circumstances, while still also growing as individuals. Rent on AppleTV

Related: Daniel Radcliffe and Eddie Redmayne Speak Out Against J.K. Rowling's Transgender Comments

9 Jungle (2017)

jungle
jungle
Action
Adventure
Documentary
Drama
Thriller
Release Date
June 27, 2017
Director
Greg Mclean
Cast
Daniel Radcliffe , Yasmin Kassim , Luis Jose Lopez , Lily Sullivan , Jacek Koman , Angie Milliken

Jungle tells the captivating and true story of a backpacker from Israel, Yossi Ghinsberg (Radcliffe), who finds himself in an incredibly dangerous and daunting situation. In 1981, upon meeting a geologist from Austria with a huge interest in the rainforest in La Paz, Bolivia, he made the fateful decision of joining the expert with a couple of friends on an expedition through the rainforest. Their tour takes an ominous turn when Yossi gets lost and ends up by himself, caught somewhere in a maze of plants, trees, and other dangers, fighting for his life.

What Makes It Great

Yossi Ghinsberg's story of his survival many years ago is already highly fascinating, but Radcliffe's impeccable performance adds even more magic to it. It is almost unsettling how easily he adapts to such a strenuous role, conveying such a vivid depiction of how Yossi is clinging to his will to live and taking on the numerous hurdles he is facing while always ensuring authenticity. Jungle is filled with stunning scenery but also some extreme moments of survival that make it worth a watch, but with a fair amount of warning. Stream on Prime Video

8 The Woman In Black (2011)

The Woman In Black
The Woman In Black
PG-13
Drama
Documentary
Horror
Thriller
Release Date
February 3, 2012
Director
James Watkins
Cast
Emma Shorey , Molly Harmon , Sophie Stuckey , Daniel Radcliffe , Misha Handley , Jessica Raine

In The Woman in Black, everything starts with a work trip, four years after Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe) tragically lost his wife in childbirth and has not yet overcome his grief. In an effort to keep his job, he embarks on this trip but finds that there is, in fact, no room booked in his name. Instead of returning home, he continues his journey and stops at an arguably creepy mansion, seeking accommodation there but finding something much more supernatural: a ghost whose son died and is now seeking revenge by taking the kids of the people from the village instead.

What Makes It Great

The Woman in Black features all the Gothic elements that are necessary to make it an enjoyable watch. Reaching from an unsettling haunted house to an awfully disturbing ghost, the desire for revenge, and an overall harrowing atmosphere, this was Radcliffe's first big post-Potter film and was an attempt for him to stand out. Creating parallels to Dracula by Bram Stoker, especially in the beginning of the story, the Hammer movie manages to deliver a captivating story that will definitely cause goosebumps.

Stream on Prime Video

7 Escape from Pretoria (2020)

Escape from Pretoria
Escape from Pretoria
Thriller
Release Date
March 6, 2020
Director
Francis Annan
Cast
Daniel Radcliffe , Ian Hart , Daniel Webber , Nathan Page , Stephen Hunter , Mark Winter

Escape from Pretoria, directed by Francis Annan, is based on true events and features a strong cast: Daniel Radcliffe as the main actor, accompanied by Daniel Webber, Ian Hart and Mark Leonard. Radcliffe plays Timothy Peter Jenkin, an activist and political prisoner in Pretoria Central Prison. He and his fellow inmates plan to escape and prove that it is possible, no matter how secure the prison may be. To do so, they devise a plan that will take time and patience, as they must build wooden keys to open the prison's cells and doors. However, they must be careful with the guards, who are looking for any excuse to punish them in the worst way.

What Makes It Great

Escape from Pretoria is an exciting depiction of a real-life story while not shying away from equally conveying the horrific conditions in many South African prisons. he film is based on the book Escape Inside Out: From Pretoria Prison by Tim Jenkin, who was actually involved in the making of the film to oversee every single detail of the movie. Radcliffe gives a great performance as a prisoner, one who is keyed into the dread of the situation but also the thrill the audience needs to feel to be engaged as a thriller. Mostly overlooked due to being released during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is worth checking out. Stream on Prime Video

6 The Lost City (2022)

TheLostCity2022
The Lost City
PG-13
Adventure
Comedy

Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum are swept up in a kidnapping attempt in the action-comedy The Lost City.

Release Date
March 25, 2022
Director
Aaron Nee , Adam Nee

The Lost City is an action comedy film which was released in early 2022, and stood out with its high-profile cast from the moment it was announced. Loretta ( Sandra Bullock), having just recently published another of her romantic novels, is sent on a book tour with the model, Alan (Channing Tatum), from the cover, in order to promote her work and connect with her fans. While it seems to a reasonable idea by her publicist, the trip turns into something entirely else, when a billionaire, Abigail Fairfax, who is portrayed by Radcliffe, kidnaps her. His reasoning behind dragging the author into a dangerous adventure is his desire to find the treasure from one of her stories. Alan, desperately wanting to channel his inner hero from the book, sets out to find and rescue Loretta from this rich maniac.

What Makes It Great

Radcliffe truly excels at playing antagonist, as he has fun playing off the good guy persona audiences associate him with as Harry Potter, and with The Lost City, he is having a ball. Portraying the main antagonist of the story, he effortlessly manages to convey bratty-mean-kid energy while still drawing a connection to overall bizarre behavior. Radcliffe, together with the rest of this amazing cast, added their individual spice to this successful concoction of romance, action, comedy, and adventure. Stream on Prime Video

Related: 15 Movie Stars Also Had Successful Runs on Broadway

5 Kill Your Darlings (2014)

Kill Your Darlings
Kill Your Darlings
R
Biography
Documentary
Drama
Romance
Thriller
Release Date
September 19, 2013
Director
John Krokidas

In Kill Your Darlings, young Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe) meets Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan), an extremely handsome and refined fellow student, while attending Columbia University, and from that moment on Ginsberg's life changes completely. Lucien draws Ginsberg into his Bohemian world of poets and polemics and introduces him to William Burroughs (Ben Foster) and Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston). All four will reject the rules of political correctness and decide to challenge the current society, developing the ideas that would later give rise to the beat generation. From the outside, they are watched by David Kammerer (Michael C. Hall), who is desperately in love with Lucien Carr, and is surprisingly found dead. This is how these poets' worlds will take a complete turn when Kerouac, Burroughs, and Carr are arrested for the murder.

What Makes It Great

Kill Your Darlings marked the directorial debut of John Krokidas and was well-received by critics, garnering several nominations at festivals. Radcliffe took a big chance with the role. While many young actors are so concerned about their star persona and have been hesitant to play a gay character, let alone do gay sex scenes, Radcliffe shows he was not only serious as an actor but also one who knew there was nothing to be ashamed about acting in this type of role. Casting Radcliffe as Ginsberg is not just great, as the two do share a resemblance, but it carries a meta-textual nature to have a figure who shaped a generation of art be played by one of the most exciting and talented young stars who defined a generation of movies. Rent on AppleTV

4 What If (2014)

what if
What If
PG-13
Comedy
Documentary
Drama
Romance
Release Date
September 7, 2013
Director
Michael Dowse

What If is the story of Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) and Chantry (Zoe Kazan), two young adults who meet by chance at a party that neither planned to attend. Wallace is at a point in his life where everything is uncertain, and he wants to recover a bit of structure. Chantry, in contrast, seems to have her life under control: she has a job and a solid relationship, and her plans seem to be going according to plan. Even though they are in very different situations, the two hit it off and strike up a casual relationship, and before long, they become great friends. But there is only one problem: the undeniable chemistry between them that goes beyond friendship.

What Makes It Great

This 2013 film was directed by Michael Dowse and the rest of the cast included Adam Driver, Megan Park, Mackenzie Davis and Rafe Spall, among others. What If is full of witty conversations, great humor, and, most obviously, a perfect portion of romance that makes it a great update to the rom-com genre and feels like a modern successor to When Harry Met Sally. Radcliffe also deserves credit for playing a normal guy. Much of his post-Harry Potter career was attempting to shed the Harry Potter image with roles in different genres and taking big acting swings. Yet the biggest experiment of them all might have been just to play an average adult who could be a romantic leading man. Rent on AppleTV

3 Imperium (2016)

imperium
Imperium
R
Thriller
Crime
Documentary
Drama
Mystery
Release Date
August 19, 2016
Director
Daniel Ragussis

Imperium's Nate Foster (Daniel Radcliffe) is a young FBI agent who has been given a new mission: to infiltrate a group of neo-Nazis who believe in white supremacy and are trying to make an extremely dangerous bomb. Foster will attempt to dismantle this dangerous right-wing extremist group from the inside, but to do so, he must face the challenge of adopting a new identity that will not arouse suspicion while keeping his principles intact.

What Makes it Great

Daniel Ragussis made his feature debut with Imperium, which is based on the true story of former FBI agent Michael German. The film's main cast includes Daniel Radcliffe, Toni Collette, Tracy Letts, Sam Trammell, and Nestor Carbonell. There is no doubt that the casting choice was simply amazing, with each of the actors delivering an incredibly authentic performance. As for Daniel Radcliffe, he shows once again that he has the skills and the dedication to take on tough roles, and he even put on a great American accent in Imperium. Playing the role was a challenge, and as far-right wing and neo-Nazi groups have been on the rise in America since the films release it has sadly become a far more relevant film. Rent on AppleTV

2 Swiss Army Man (2016)

Swiss Army Man
Swiss Army Man
R
Adventure
Comedy
Documentary
Drama
Fantasy
Musical
Romance
Release Date
June 24, 2016
Director
Dan Kwan , Daniel Scheinert
Cast
Daniel Radcliffe , Mary Elizabeth Winstead , Paul Dano , Timothy Eulich , Richard Gross , Marika Casteel

In Swiss Army Man, Hank (Paul Dano) is a suicidal castaway who finds himself all alone on a deserted island, or at least that's what he thinks. But one day, after making up his mind to commit suicide, he spots a corpse washed up on shore. That's how he meets Manny (Daniel Radcliffe), a half-dead, flatulent man with special powers who has no memory of his life. Hank finds a way to communicate with Manny, and together, they develop a strange friendship during a surreal, flatulence-ridden journey, setting off on an epic adventure.

What Makes It Great

Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert made their directorial and writing debut with Swiss Army Man. In addition to the leads, the cast is rounded out by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Timothy Eulich, Marika Casteel, and Richard Gross. Swiss Army Man is arguably unlike any other movie out there. It is both incredibly obscene while also managing to be heartfelt. Swiss Army Man is an emotionally powerful movie about finding oneself that just happens to feature a farting corpse. Who says crassness and thoughtfulness are mutually exclusive? Stream on Max

1 Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)

Daniel Radcliff in Weird The Al Yankovich Story
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Comedy
Musical

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story explores every facet of the musician's life.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is not what it may seem at first. It obviously highlights the life of Alfred Matthew Yankovic, who is widely known as "Weird Al". As a musician who adds an amusing twist to his songs, Al has brought joy to the lives of many fans since the late 70s and early 80s. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story appears to be a normal musical biopic, but in truly Weird Al fashion, it is a comedic riff on both his life and the genre of musical biopics. Everything is exaggerated to such a comedic absurdity, just like a good Weird Al song.

What Makes It Great

Radcliffe had spent his entire career after Harry Potter trying to shed the image of what audiences expected him to be. A common word to describe his choices following the massive franchise was "weird", so in many ways, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story was the film he had been building his entire career to do. The actor not only won a 2023 Critics Choice Award for Best Actor, but he is also nominated for an Emmy in the category "Outstanding Lead Actor". Drawing a connection to the movie's title, the storyline is generally kept entertaining and offers a satisfying portion of comedy and "weird" interactions. Keeping in mind that it is more of a parody and not actually a serious biopic, Radcliffe's recent film connects reality, fiction, and comedy in a fascinating way, all tied together by amusing twists on Al Yankovic's popular songs. Rent on AppleTV