Daniel Radcliffe
Born: 23 July 1989
Where: Fulham, London, UK
The actor has successfully shouldered the huge responsibility of bringing JK Rowling's pupil magician Harry Potter to the big screen.
Now known the world over, he has featured in all the full-length movies since 2001 as the troubled youngster heading towards a titanic showdown with his nemesis Lord Voldermort.
Outside the Potter franchise, Radcliffe's opportunities have been few although he did appear alongside Pierce Brosnan in The Taylor of Panama and made a well-received London stage debut in Equus.
Radcliffe wanted to become an actor for as long as he can remember - but when he asked his parents - a literary agent and casting director - to let him audition for ITV's adaptation of Oliver Twist, they refused.
At last they relented, and allowed him to audition for David Copperfield...and he landed the title role.
He made his big screen debut alongside Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush in John Le Carre's comedy thriller The Tailor of Panama in 2001 (he has reputedly never watched the finished film).
Co-star Jamie Lee Curtis pointed out to his mother his likeness to the character of Harry Potter - an observation shared by director Christopher Columbus.
After appearing in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, he was named best newcomer at the Variety Club Awards.
In 2004, he was reported to be Britain's third richest teenager - with £5m - behind Prince Harry and Charlotte Church.
Away from Potter, he appeared as a parking attendant in the TV comedy This Way Up and is also in the family drama The December Boys.
As the HP movies have unfolded, Radcliffe's character has become darker as the day of reckoning with Lord Voldemort grows nearer.
On a lighter note, he memorably took the mickey out of himself in Ricky Gervais' Extras and in 2007, as well as appearing in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, starred in the low-budget family drama December Maps.
Potter - now valued at £14m - made his West End leading-role debut in Peter Shaffer's 1973 drama Equus at London's Gielgud Theatre in February 2007.
