Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Trailer, Plus Daniel Radcliffe On Being a Child Star
The much anticipated release of the official trailer for the final chapter in the decade-long series of Harry Potter films has been released.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has wisely been split into two films, as a Part 1 and 2, being released November 2010, and July 2011 respectively. These two films will deal with the final battle between Harry Potter and his evil nemesis Lord Voldemort. The main cast, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) must go into hiding, while they search for the final pieces of Voldemort's soul (horcruxes) so he can finally be destroyed for good.
The Deathly Hallows was a major departure from the other six books, which had the familiar formula of featuring the three protagonists living out their lives at Hogwarts, the school for magic and wizardry. The atmosphere is dark, dismal and desperate. Not only are Harry, Ron and Hermione on the run from Voldemort and his homicidal Death Eaters, but they are at odds with one another, plagued by constant bickering as they endure physical and emotional pain. This isn't simply a children's story, there are sinister forces at work, and author JK Rowling created a quintessential story of the universal theme of good vs. evil with each passing book.
Brilliant and clever, the Potter mythology has captured the hearts and minds of many, and there's is no doubt the last films will be met with bittersweet emotions from Potter fans.
I feel exceptionally lucky to have gotten a chance to interact with the main stars (minus Emma Watson) of the film during our media visit to Universal Orlando's grand opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. One question gnawing at me was how these HUGELY popular child-stars, who portrayed iconic fictional characters managed to remain so grounded, while avoiding all the pitfalls of fame and wealth. One need only look at Hollywood's fallen stars (yes Lindsay Lohan, I am looking at you) to see what stark contrast there is between the fame culture here in the states vs. that of the UK.
Daniel Radcliffe was kind enough to answer, and his thoughtful response in the video below gets at the heart of what's wrong with modern celebrity culture.
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