Harry Potter: NC17

Scott Horowitz | February 1, 2007
So, apparently Daniel Radcliffe is starring in Equus on the London West End. This part requires full nudity, and parents are outraged that Harry Potter is doing such a mature role. He's trying to expand himself as an actor. You can see some pictures here

http://www.thesnitch.net/site/images2/Equus_color2.jpg

http://www.thesnitch.net/site/images2/Equus_color1.jpg

And parents are flipping out

http://www.stuff.co.nz/3946617a1860.html

Lori Lancaster | February 1, 2007
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Michael Paul Cote | February 1, 2007
First and foremost, Equus is a mature show and I would seriously wonder about parents bringing young children to see it. Second, Radcliffe has the right to perform any role that he can get cast in and the role in Equus is a fabulous role from an actor's stand point. Once again the media frenzy of "let's see how much dirt and muck we can sling to rile up any one we can" wins out.
I'm directing a harmless little show for our local community theater and because we are sponsored by the city, and performing in the town community center, I have to rewrite a lot of the script. I have to remove any "hell" or worse language, take out any "suggestive" dialogue and basically turn the show from PG-13 to G. Censorship bothers me, but I have to follow protocol.

Lori Lancaster | February 1, 2007
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Scott Hardie | February 1, 2007
I love how parents are outraged that child role model Radcliffe will play a part that involves nudity, but not one that involves blinding six horses with a spike. Nothing inappropriate about that.

Radcliffe has to do something like this if he ever wants another role beyond Potter, but I suspect this isn't just his Jessica-Biel-in-Maxim breakout moment. He's the richest teenager in Britain and he can sit on his millions for the rest of his life; he doesn't need to keep acting. The choice of a cerebral, complex play like Equus seems to show that he wants more, and the director's risky casting choice seems to show that Radcliffe can handle it. It will be interesting to see where his career takes him.

Will he be disinvited from the remaining Potter films? Only if the controversy goes on for days and the producers are forced to respond. Rupert Murdoch wouldn't have pulled the plug on the O.J. tell-all if the controversy had come and gone in a day.

Kerry Odell | February 1, 2007
Daniel and Dakota are actors and from what I've seen of how they conduct themselves, they are better role models than the sports heroes, actors politicians and musicians who are binging and getting arrested and let of for DUI among other things.

At least he's baring himself in a serious theatrical role and not just to get the paparazzi(sp) flashing a la Paris, Nicole and Brittany.

I applaud both Dakota and Daniel for seeming to have their heads on straight!

(I haven't followed Daniel much, but I don't remember seeing him doing anything untoward in the headlines...correct me if I'm wrong)

Denise Sawicki | February 2, 2007
I agree Scott on how odd it is that nudity is seen as more shocking than violence. Also I think it's odd how in the US, someone looking at nude pictures of him could probably be charged with possession of child pornography (he's not 18 until July, but any online pictures don't seem to show "everything") but in the UK apparently it is OK to go see this on stage. I'm sure I'm talking nonsense and somebody here has a better grasp of these laws than I do. I just think it's a bit goofy how 6 months in age or a move of the camera an inch downwards could mark the difference between us all being creepy pervert sex offenders, or not, for looking at the pictures.

Jackie Mason | February 2, 2007
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