The world watched Daniel Radcliffe grow up playing Harry Potter.
Over 8 Harry Potter movies we watched his first awkward encounter with the Sorting Hat, saw his first kiss with Ginny Weasley, and, in the end, saw the grown-up Harry sending his own son off to Hogwarts.
Since leaving the franchise after the last movie in 2011, Radcliffe has worked steadily in movies and TV and done some pretty credible turns on the London and New York stages.
And nearly 8 years ago, love came into his life in the form of actress Erin Darke. They started dating in 2012 but kept it under wraps so well that no one suspected that they were a couple until 2013.
And now the two are all loved up (and probably a little bored) in lockdown in Radcliffe's New York apartment. They have remained secretive about their time together and their relationship. Occasionally, very occasionally, Daniel will drop a hint or squelch a rumor.
Here's what we know about Daniel Radcliffe and Erin Darke.
15 They Actually Met On A Movie Set
In 2012, Daniel and Erin met on the set of Kill Your Darlings, a movie that centers around the wild and unconventional life of poet Allen Ginsberg, Ginsberg was part of the "Beat Generation", a movement that rebelled against just about everything conventional about the button-down 1950s in America. Daniel Radcliffe played Allen Ginsberg.
14 Kill Your Darlings: That Fake Love Scene That Started It All
In Kill Your Darlings Erin Darke played a character called Gwendolyn. It's no exaggeration to say that Allen Ginsberg was very adventurous in his relationship and early on in the film he and Gwendolyn "get together" in a fairly torrid love scene. The chemistry between the two was electric and the scene is one of the better things about a rather lackluster movie.
13 Daniel Radcliffe: Love At First Sight
Radcliffe has gone on record as saying that the on-screen chemistry between the two was very real. He didn't have to act. It was something of "a love at first sight" moment for the then 20-something Radcliffe. From that point on, he has said, he knew he was in trouble. He was smitten. Darke seemed to feel the same way.
12 Not Into Clubs: Daniel Sings Eminem With Back-Up From Erin
Let's put it this way: Erin and Daniel are not into the wild life you can find in abundance in New York. A wild and crazy night for them is when Daniel takes to the karaoke stage and sings rapper Eminem's song "The Real Slim Shady" at a local pub, accompanied by his faithful sidekick Erin. He gets a standing ovation every time!
11 Playing A Corpse And A Punk: Those Quirky Acting Roles
In 2018, Erin played Leeta, a raving. darl punk who befriends an overweight woman in the TV show Dietland. It came from the quirky revenge novel of the same name. Back in 2016, Daniel played a corpse. You are in the land of weird when the IMDb introduction refers to a "hopeless man stranded on a desert island who befriends a dead body". Clearly neither actor is afraid to take on unconventional roles.
10 They Readily Admit To Being Nerdy
Neither Daniel nor Erin does cool or in or slick or fashionable. They happily admit to being nerds who would rather do karaoke than clubs, hang out on their own instead of with A-listers, and who do things like recite the elements of the periodic table. Apparently, the latter is Radcliffe's best party trick. See what we mean?
9 She's 5 Years Older And Several Inches Taller Than Daniel
Daniel Radcliffe seems to have a thing for older women. He admits that his biggest celebrity crush was on Cameron Diaz. Erin is 5 years older than Daniel. Look at it this way: Anyone Radcliffe's age or younger might have been a Harry Potter fan and probably crush on Harry more than Daniel. Erin was 17 when the first movie came out and was totally not a fan.
8 They Are Super, Super Private
They met and started dating in 2012. But they determinedly flew under the radar and it was 2013 when they were spotted flirting at the Sundance Film Festival before anyone realized that there was something up. Even now, Radcliffe's comments on their relationship are usually limited to denying stories they are engaged or about to be married. The tabloids just won't let go of that story.
7 Luckily, You Do See A Little PDA Now And Then
A snog in the park? Well, it's about as much PDA as you get from Daniel Radcliffe and Erin Darke. Oh sure, they hold hands a lot, but shots like this one are very rare. Both seem determined not to call attention to themselves or their relationship. So we'll just have to settle for the quick snog and move on.
6 They Really, Really Are Best Friends
He has said she is smart and funny and addictive. She has said he is kind, a little quirky, and very loyal. They really, really do like one another an awful lot. And there is a lot of laughter. They are best friends, lovers, and very supportive of one another's careers. Daniel seemed to sense he was headed for something special during the filming of Kill Your Darlings. He was right.
5 That Coronavirus Hoax
In March of 2020, a Twitter feed dressed up to look like an official source, made the claim that Daniel Radcliffe had tested positive for the Coronavirus. What? Shock and horror and lots of phone calls from friends and family later, the story was shown to be a hoax. Daniel thought it was funny. Erin wasn't so sure.
4 Social Media? No Way
Sure, fans post things about Radcliffe on social media. But Daniel steers clear of social media in any form, be it Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. And he doesn't ever Google his own name because he is afraid of what he might find. Erin follows suit, not involving herself in the minefield that is social media.
3 Their Tactic? Bore The Tabloids Silly And They Will Go Away
Erin Darke and Daniel Radcliffe try hard to be as boring as possible? Why? Well, Erin has said that the paparazzi can only sell so many pictures of them walking down the street dress in old clothes with coffee or waiting for a Uber ride before they give up and move on to a more interesting target. That's probably the smart way to go about it.
2 Daniel's Secret Passion: They Play Ping Pong
Nerdy as it may be, the couple loves to play ping pong. It's a kind of passion for Daniel Radcliffe. And he's pretty good at it too. Erin is just a novice alongside the master of the table. Sure, it's not a cool game, but, true to form, Daniel pursues it simply because he enjoys it. And that's the best reason of all to do something.
1 Marriage Isn't Going To Happen Any Time Soon, If Ever
Tabloids love to run stories about how Erin and Daniel are engaged. In these fantasies, Rupert Grint is going to be the best man at the wedding. And Emma Watson will be a flower girl or something. Daniel spends a lot of time granting interviews in which he adamantly denies the stories. Who knows if they will ever tie the knot. And does it really matter?