Daniel Radcliffe, who rose to international fame playing Harry Potter in the film franchise based on J.K. Rowling's books, may not watch HBO's upcoming television adaptation of the popular wizarding series.
Radcliffe, who portrayed the iconic character for more than a decade, said he was unsure whether he would watch the new version, partly because he rarely watches television.
Asked by The Associated Press whether he planned to watch the adaptation, Radcliffe replied, "I don't know if I will, honestly.''
Explaining his hesitation, the actor said he had already spent a significant part of his career in the Harry Potter universe and was not a regular television viewer.
"I've been in a lot of Harry Potter already. Also, I don't watch any TV. I haven't seen Breaking Bad. I haven't seen Mad Men. I haven't seen some of the real classics. Eight hours is a lot of anything to watch," he said.
Radcliffe was just 11 when he first took on the role of the young wizard, a character that would transform his career and make him a household name among children and teenagers worldwide.
HBO is set to bring the wizarding world back to television next month with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The first season will consist of eight episodes, revisiting the events of the first book and introducing the story to a new generation of viewers.
Radcliffe has previously said he would welcome the opportunity for his children to experience a version of Harry Potter that does not feature him.
"I'm actually delighted that when my kid grows and is into Harry Potter, he can watch a version that is not me," he said earlier this year.
He added that watching the series with their father playing the lead character might make the experience less enjoyable for his children by taking them out of the story. He also welcomed the prospect of passing on the responsibility of answering questions about the franchise to the new cast.
Radcliffe also wished Dominic McLaughlin, who has been chosen to play the new Harry Potter, well as he begins his journey with one of popular culture's most recognisable characters.
"He's got it, he doesn't need any advice from me," Radcliffe said.
He explained that he did not want his comments to become a source of pressure for the young actor during media interviews.
"If I say something to you, then the next interview people have with him, they'll be like, 'Dan said you should do this.' And I'm like, I don't want to haunt this poor child through interviews! So I have no advice for him. He's gonna be amazing. And I will get to meet him some day, and I'm very excited about that," he said.
The upcoming HBO series will feature an entirely new cast in the franchise's central roles. Dominic McLaughlin will portray Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will play Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will take on the role of Ron Weasley.
The cast also includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
Source: NDTV