Watch Daniel read Harry Potter book on video
Daniel Radcliffe has surprised fans by reading the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to spread joy during lockdown.
His reading comes as part of the Harry Potter at Home initiative, created by the book’s author, JK Rowling, alongside Wizarding World Digital, as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking about the project last month, Rowling said she launched the initiative since “parents, teachers and carers working to keep children amused and interested while we’re on lockdown might need a bit of magic”.
Radcliffe, who played the titular character in the film adaptations of the book series, kicked off the series by reading the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
In the video, which began making the rounds on Twitter soon after it was posted, Radcliffe read the chapter from the comfort of his sofa.
Other celebrities taking part in the reading initiative include Eddie Redmayne and Stephen Fry, Dakota Fanning, Noma Dumezweni, and David Beckham.
Each celebrity is set to read a different chapter of the first book in the seven part series.
The videos will be released weekly on the Wizarding World’s website, from now until the middle of summer. Audio versions of the readings will also be available on Spotify, Audible and OverDrive.
The reading provoked immediate excitement from fans on Twitter.
One user said “This made my quarantine.”
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was the first in the series by Rowling.
Others include Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
The books have been filmed with Radcliffe playing the boy wizard.