Stars who tweet have no right to privacy, by Daniel Radcliffe: Harry Potter star has little sympathy for celebrities who post updates and then moan about their fame

  • The 24-year-old has hit out at stars who write about  their personal lives
  • Comments echoed by Sir Elton John, who said he ‘hates’ celebrity culture
  • Despite a huge teenage following, Radcliffe does not use social media

By Alasdair Glennie

PUBLISHED: 19:13 EST, 20 November 2013 | UPDATED: 08:57 EST, 21 November 2013


Since the role of Harry Potter turned him into a child star, he has had his fair share of the limelight.

But it seems that Daniel Radcliffe has little sympathy for celebrities who post updates on the internet and then moan about their fame.

The 24-year-old actor has hit  out at stars who write about  their personal lives on Twitter and Facebook, saying they should not be taken seriously when they then ask for privacy.

Little sympathy: Daniel Radcliffe does not use social media, but said stars who use Twitter should not be taken seriously when they ask for privacy

Little sympathy: Daniel Radcliffe does not use social media, but said stars who use Twitter should not be taken seriously when they ask for privacy

His comments were echoed by singer Sir Elton John, who said he ‘hates’ celebrity culture and is sick of seeing stars tweeting and posting updates on Facebook.

Speaking to Sky News, Radcliffe said he tries hard to avoid the limelight. ‘There’s certain things you can do to make it a lot easier on yourself,’ he said.

 

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‘If you don’t, for instance, go to premieres that aren’t for a film you’re in, or don’t just turn up at other events, then that’s going to help to not fuel the interest.’

Despite having a huge teenage following, Radcliffe does not use social media – a fact he credits with keeping his fans at bay.

‘I don’t have Twitter and I don’t have Facebook and I think that makes things a lot easier,’ he said.

‘If you go on Twitter and tell  everybody what you’re doing moment to moment and then  claim you want a private life,  then no one is going to take that request seriously.’

Since shooting to fame in  the Harry Potter film franchise, Radcliffe has appeared in darker roles on stage – in Peter Shaffer’s West End hit Equus – and on  screen – in horror movie The Woman in Black.

This evening, he can be seen  on Sky Arts alongside Mad Men star Jon Hamm in the second  series of the drama A Young  Doctor’s Notebook. It is part of his drive to prove himself as an actor in case people believe he has not earned his success.

‘It’s as much to myself, as to anyone else,’ he said. ‘People say, “Oh he’s got a chip on his shoulder” like it’s a bad thing. It’s a perfectly good thing if you let it motivate you.’

Radcliffe admits that luck played a large part in his early career and he is determined not to rest on his laurels. ‘That’s not what I’m about,’ he said. ‘It fires you up.’

Anger: The actor's comments echoed claims made by Sir Elton John who said he 'hates' celebrity culture

Anger: The actor's comments echoed claims made by Sir Elton John who said he 'hates' celebrity culture

He admitted that he used to resent the attention Harry Potter brought him, but said it was ‘petulant’ to complain about his fame.

‘When I was 18 or 19 there was definitely a level of frustration around,’ he said. ‘I did have to think where I went and you do get a little frustrated, but ultimately it’s childish, petulant.’

But he says it is ‘ridiculous’ to suggest that stardom deprived him of his childhood.

‘Kids who are abused have their childhoods taken away from them,’ he said.

In a separate interview on CNN, Sir Elton fired his own broadside at celebrity culture.

‘We focus so much on celebrity  in our culture and we don’t focus on the right things,’ he said.

‘I’m so sick of seeing celebrities on covers of magazines and tweeting and on Facebook and reality shows. It’s disgusting.

‘I hate the celebrity that is around now. The vacuous, talentless, horror show that they get paid millions of dollars for, when there are people who are teaching kids every day that are trying to scrape by and earn a living. It’s a joke.’

 

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Well said Daniel, you're so right! And whilst we're on the subject of celebrities why does every quiz show have to have a celebrity version? It's so annoying!! Celebrity The Chase, Celebrity Pointless, Celebrity Tipping Point.... who cares?!!!

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Well said young man. Absolutely spot on. I think there is something narcissistic about people who use Twitter and Facebook both the famous and the not famous. Why would I think anyone outside my circle of family and very close friends would be even remotely interested in my life? I just don't think I'm that important except to them.

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Elton John and Daniel Radcliffe are both showing a maturity that is lacking in many other so called celebrities. I am also sure that the majority of the general public also do not really want to know what these people are doing. Their lives have no bearing on us at all.

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This young man speaks sense. A rarity amongst today's celebrities.

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He's exactly right. Social media by its very nature is public unless you exercise the correct privacy controls on the relevant platform. Most celebs don't do that. If they don't like it they need to restrict access to their account or just get rid of it altogether. Even though I am only a few years older than him I find myself feeling like a dirty old woman going "Ooh, isn't he lovely?"

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Nothing like stating the obvious.

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Well said Daniel; you've just gone up in my estimation. It's also good to see him taking interesting film/TV roles unlike cardboard cutout American "stars".

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Totally agree with you Daniel, such wisdom from someone of such a young age. Smart young lad!

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Well said, Daniel; he's absolutely right. The worst is celebs who complain about the paparazzi taking pictures of their children but who take their children to red carpet events. I agree the paps shouldn't be taking pics of celebs' kids but If they don't want that to happen, then they shouldn't take their children to red carpet events, nor should they invite the press to take pictures as they go about their day-to-day business! Once they've opened Pandora's Box and invited the press to take pictures just once, then they can't close the box again.

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I like Daniel, he's become a great actor, love the Dr Diary...and he's right.

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