UK COS Premiere

Odeon, Leicester Square, London Nov 3rd, 2002

Leigh writes: 

I’m watching the live webcast right now, live from London. This is such fun - I can just imagine the excitement there!  They’ve already talked to Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Christian Coulson (Tom Riddle), Gemma Jones (Madame Pomfrey), and several other arrivals.  Looks like a cloudy, rainy day in the UK today, but for everyone there the sun is shining brightly.  

Sean Biggerstaff is being introduced now and he’s wearing a kilt.  He’s got a lot of fans in the crowd too, it appears.  JK Rowling arrives, visibly pregnant, bless her!  Devon Murray, who plays Seamus, looks like he’s got a buzz haircut.  There’s Dame Maggie Smith - so classy!  Robbie Coltrane, the gentle giant, pauses to chat with the webcast host.  (Wonder if Dan switched his text messages to display in cuneiform this time, LOL!)   In between arrivals, various clips from the movie are shown to keep us and the crowd amused.  Director Chris Columbus was so busy talking with fans that the host had to yank him away to talk to him.  He said everyone felt more like a family while making the film this time around.  I guess he will be missed for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban [although he will stay on in an executive producer role]. Once again, Chris is talking about “beyond POA” and it sounds like he might be preparing us for the… no, I don’t want to say it. Forget I even mentioned it. NEXT!!! Emma Watson - Hermione in the flesh. She’s wearing a pink chiffon dress, and looks like she’s freezing to death.   She looks nice, speaks very breathlessly and seems a bit overwhelmed. Everybody’s yelling her name. 

Kenneth Branagh arrives and says he’s proud to be a part of the film this time around, that he was there last year but only as a spectator. He said he had a great time with all the crew and actors and loved his character of Gilderoy Lockhart. The camera cuts briefly to Dan, talking to some of the press corps.  Now the host talks to the producer of the films, David Heyman, and he tells everyone how he “discovered” Dan at a play in London.  When asked how he thought Dan was coping in the role, David said, "He's remarkable, he's very much the same boy that he was when I first met him.  He's a little bit older, a little bit wiser but he still has that openness and that enthusiasm for everything, every bit as much as he did on that first day, which is amazing, and he's doing really well at school."

The crowd starts chanting "Daniel! Daniel! Daniel!" and Dan arrives, looking very elegant in a dark suit, black shirt and tie, with a Remembrance Day poppy in his lapel and a huge smile plastered on his face.  The host does the Q&A thing:

OK guys, this is who you've all been waiting for, Daniel Radcliffe!  Harry Potter himself, how are you doing Daniel?

Very well thank you

How are you feeling at this moment in time?

Nervous, but excited nervous.  I have somebody's pen, I don't know who's it is.

Don't worry, they're probably so happy you do have their pen.  Now Daniel, going into the second film, were you a bit more confident?

I think basically I'm a lot more confident with talking... like if I have an idea I'm more comfortable talking about it with Chris.  I think that's the main difference.... I find it hard to judge me as an actor.

What about Rupert and Emma because you're very good friends off screen as well aren't you

Yes we've become best friends.  We've been in this environment for about two and a half years now so we've bonded so well.

And how are you coping with the pressures of worldwide fame.  Everywhere you go people must recognize you now

I know but that's FUN!  It's really cool because people are so enthusiastic about the film, they're just passionate and it's great to hear what people are saying.

What was one of your favorite bits in Chamber of Secrets?

I loved filming the duelling club scene and I loved watching the Chamber of Secrets scene.  They're both great, they're really good scenes.

What about your family and friends, how are they coping with all this?

My mum and dad are just amazing, amazing people, and my friends have all treated me exactly the same so I've been very very lucky.

And finally before you're whisked away to all your fans who are waiting for you, I hear you like punk music.

YES!!  And now as well as old punk bands like the Sex Pistols I'm into the Rolling Stones.  They're not punk but they're great.

Well Daniel, congratulations and enjoy the afternoon.  I know all your fans are waiting for you.  Ladies and gentlemen, Daniel Radcliffe!

Rupert Grint (Ron of course) arrives and he’s got quite a lot of fans in the crowd as well. He said he feels “really cool”, and mentioned for the 1000^th time that he loved the slug scene! He said he got on really well with Dan, that they had a really good time. 

Our last glimpse at Dan is of him staring open-mouthed at all the people screaming his name as he goes into the theater. There are about a hundred microphones thrust in his face and the camera flashes look like strobe lighting, yet he seems to be handling it all magnificently.  

THAT’S ALL FOLKS!!!  What a great show!  WB, thank you TONS for webcasting this live - for those of us who couldn’t attend, it was almost like being there. :o)