Daniel Radcliffe Has A 'Very Strange Relationship' With Robert Pattinson
Danielle Radcliffe and Robert Pattinson rose to fame as the stars of the two biggest YA franchises of the early 2000's: once upon a time, they were The Boy Who Lived and the Vampire Who Sparkles. Given the way their enormous franchises rivaled each other in popularity at around the same time, it's easy to see all that they have in common and assume the pair are lifelong friends. They even shared the spotlight, for a time! Before he was brooding in the blue-tinted frames of "Twilight," Pattinson hopped on a broom (or grabbed a portkey) and flew straight into the Wizarding World.
"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" was Pattinson's first feature film, where he starred as the most memorable Hufflepuff to grace the Hogwarts halls, Cedric Diggory. Spoiler alert — he only actually lasts a single movie. Still, that's more than enough time to build a friendship with his co-stars, and its nice to imagine Pattinson and Radcliffe bonding to this day over their time in Hogwarts robes and the plights of young fame. But as it turns out, their relationship these days tends to occur via journalists. While speaking on "The Jonathan Ross Show," (via CinemaBlend) Radcliffe revealed that the pair haven't spoken in a while, but had only good things to say about his brief time working with Pattinson.
"I was in New York about to do Equus, and I was on the Westside Highway and I turned around and saw this billboard and I was like, 'What, I know that guy!' I hadn't heard of the Twilight books at the time; I hadn't been aware of that phenomenon. And so yeah, it's odd. We have a very strange relationship now where we basically only communicate through journalists. We haven't seen each other in ages. Because everyone assumes we're kind of great mates, but I've met him, he's a lovely guy when I worked with him."
Two things in the world need fixing ... y'know, in addition to all the life-altering, important issues. First off, if Daniel Radcliffe still hasn't seen the "Twilight" series in its entirety, then someone ought to ship him a box set. Second, it's time to connect Radcliffe and Pattinson on a Zoom call! Let the friendship live on!
From Blockbuster Star to Indie Darling
Okay fine, since they've only actually starred in a single movie together, over 15 years ago and in the midst of two whirlwind franchises, it makes sense that they aren't still besties. But it is a shame, because they'd have so much to discuss. Even though Pattinson's "Harry Potter" stint was so brief, he never has a bad word to say about the experience. A couple years ago, Pattinson gushed in an interview about his time on "Goblet of Fire," saying:" I wouldn't be acting if it wasn't for that." Best of all, both of these superstars have diverged into fascinating new directions of their careers.
After starring in major franchises, both actors took a break from the Hollywood machine, turning to indies. It allowed them to quickly pivot away from their famous roles, lest they forever be known for the first (or second) franchise they ever joined. And yes, in our heart of hearts, Pattinson will always be Edward Cullen and Radcliffe will always be Harry Potter but also, they've proven themselves as so much more.
In the Jonathan Ross interview, Radcliffe mentioned one of his most memory-cementing roles, as Alan Strang in "Equus." The play was sandwiched between two Potter sequels and got a reputation as that play where Daniel Radcliffe has sex with a horse. And that's just the beginning — what about the movie where he grows horns and becomes a devil? Or the one where he plays a farting corpse? It sure takes range to go in such unexpected directions! Pattinson too has gotten a reputation over the past few years as an indie star (much like his "Twilight" co-star, Kristen Stewart). Films like "The Lighthouse" and "High Life" are a far cry from his soapy vampire franchise days.
As for what's next for these two, Robert Pattinson is making his return to blockbusters as Bruce Wayne in Matt Reeves' "The Batman." This iteration of the hero will focus in on his detective days as he hunts down Paul Dano's The Riddler. As for Radcliffe, he'll star alongside Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum in "The Lost City," a Nee Brothers comedy about a kidnapping attempt that leads to wild jungle adventures. He'll also reunite with his fellow Golden Trio members, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint in the 2022, HBO Max special, "Return to Hogwarts." Maybe this can also be the place to catch up with their former co-star, Pattinson! But only if he isn't too busy doing press for his stint as the Caped Crusader.