Daniel Radcliffe Reveals the Sweet Reaction He and ‘Harry Potter’ Costars Had to Seeing the New Cast: ‘How Surreal’

The Boy Who Lived is officially passing the wand, but not without a few emotional conversations behind the scenes.

Daniel Radcliffe is opening up about the “surreal” experience of seeing the Harry Potter franchise rebooted for a new generation. The x Emmy nominee recently shared that he has been in contact with his former costars, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, as they process the news of the upcoming HBO series.

The trio, who grew up before the world’s eyes as Harry, Hermione, and Ron, are finding themselves in uncharted territory as a new cast prepares to step into their iconic robes.

“It’s how surreal [it is] to watch people starting off on that journey, all those years later,” Radcliffe exclusively tells People.

While the world is buzzing about the new TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved books, the original stars are leaning on each other. Radcliffe notes that while they haven’t had “a ton of communication about the show specifically,” they are all bonded by this unique full-circle moment.

“It’s one of those where I think we all just know how the others feel, because we’re also feeling it,” he says.

Fans of the original eight films, which spanned from to , have been flocking to social media to celebrate the enduring bond between the original “Golden Trio.” Seeing Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint support their successors has sent the Potterheads into a nostalgic frenzy.

When it comes to the new kids on the block—Dominic McLaughlin (Harry), Alastair Stout (Ron), and Arabella Stanton (Hermione)—Radcliffe says his heart goes out to them immediately.

“We have all said, you just see the pictures of these kids, and you just want to grab them and hug them,” Radcliffe admits. “That’s the impulse that I think that we, mainly, all have.”

That protective instinct is already manifesting in sweet ways. Radcliffe and Grint previously revealed that they have even written letters to their onscreen successors to offer encouragement.

The new series, which has been filming in the U.K. since last summer, is shaping up to be a massive production. Along with the young newcomers, the show boasts a heavy-hitting adult cast including John Lithgow, Paapa Essiedu, and Janet McTeer.

Behind the scenes, the wizarding world is in experienced hands. The series is written and executive produced by Francesca Gardiner, with Succession director Mark Mylod helming multiple episodes. Adding even more magic to the mix, legendary composer Hans Zimmer recently signed on to score the series.

As the HBO series prepares for its early premiere, Radcliffe seems content to watch from the sidelines with his old friends. After years of magic, the original Harry is ready to see a new spark ignite.

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