Daniel Radcliffe’s ‘Insane’ Train Letter to New Harry Potter Star

Dominic McLaughlin was just trying to get home on a train to Glasgow when his dad handed him a letter that quietly changed Harry Potter history. Inside were a few handwritten words from Daniel Radcliffe himself—the original Boy Who Lived, now passing the wand to HBO’s new Harry Potter lead.

“It was insane,” McLaughlin recalled of the moment he reached the signature line and saw it was signed “Dan R.” Speaking on the BBC’s Saturday Mash-Up! Live, he said he was “going mad” on the inside but trying hard to stay cool in the middle of a packed carriage, according to Deadline.

Radcliffe’s Quiet ‘Passing the Wand’

Radcliffe first revealed he’d written to McLaughlin in November, explaining that he felt a rush of protectiveness seeing photos of the new cast. “I just see these pictures of him and the other kids and I just want to hug them,” he told reporters, adding that he doesn’t want to be “a specter in their lives” as they step into the roles that defined his own childhood, per Variety.

This kind of low-key blessing has become standard in franchise handovers—think former superheroes and Doctors offering encouragement to their successors—but it feels especially charged in the Wizarding World. HBO’s series is billed as a faithful, multi-year adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s seven novels, promising to track each school year across seven seasons and give long-time readers the deep-cut details they’ve always wanted, as reported by The Guardian.

McLaughlin, who beat out tens of thousands of hopefuls—32,000 children reportedly auditioned for Harry, Ron, and Hermione—said filming so far has been “going amazing” and that he’s already made “good friends with everyone” on set, according to Entertainment Weekly.

A New Era for Hogwarts on Screen

HBO’s retelling arrives as the Wizarding World rapidly expands, from theme parks to audio and screen projects. For a deeper breakdown of the show’s scope, casting process, and creative direction, see our guide to what we know (and don’t) about HBO’s new Harry Potter series. Meanwhile, J.K. Rowling has already been spotted back on set as filming ramps up on the first season.

Radcliffe’s letter also echoes the support shown by other original cast members. Rupert Grint has penned his own note to the new Ron Weasley, continuing a pattern of the first trio quietly cheering from the sidelines rather than hovering over their replacements—a dynamic we explored when Grint’s message surfaced in our coverage of his heartfelt letter to the new Ron.

All of this matters to readers who’ve waited years for a more book-accurate adaptation. A decade-spanning series should finally have the space for House-elf politics, Quidditch World Cup fallout, and all the messy teenage angst that barely fit into the films. With Radcliffe sending handwritten encouragement from afar and McLaughlin reading it on a crowded train, the reboot is already weaving its own kind of magic—one that bridges generations of fans before the first new Sorting Hat ceremony even airs.