Cool is the magic word

by Karl Ho for the Straits Times Interactive, 28th October 2002.

DANIEL RADCLIFFE, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson might be the world's most famous teenage acting trio right now.

But, underneath their Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry robes, they are just kids trying to grapple with international superstardom.

At London's medieval Guildhall building to promote the latest Harry Potter film on a chilly Friday afternoon, the young movie stars enchanted a 200-strong international press contingent with their childlike honesty.

They also said the darndest things.

When an Israeli reporter asked the kids what kind of wizardry they would like to possess in real life, Radcliffe said: 'To be able to turn invisible. So that I can get out of trouble real quickly and get into rock concerts.'

Grint chipped in: 'I don't have a spell I like, but I'd like to have a flying car. That would be really cool.'

The young actors, like many other kids their age, punctuated many of their sentences with the word cool.

And just like other children, they have adults around to do some damage control.

The same Israeli reporter asked the young stars what kind of magic they wished Israeli kids could have so as to survive in their politically-unstable homeland.

A press attache on stage immediately said the kids would not answer the question because it touched upon politics.

So the kids did not.

The new movie Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets is based on the second book of J. K. Rowling's best-selling children's book series and follows the further adventures of pals Harry Potter (Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Grint) and Hermione Granger (Watson).

The Warner Bros movie, directed by Chris Columbus, will open in Singapore on Nov 14.

The young stars are fast maturing into teenage heartthrobs. Radcliffe, 13, with his sharp features, sky-blue eyes and deepening voice, is the young good-looking action hero of the group.

Watson, 12, looking fresh and pretty with her hair tied back and dressed in a body-hugging top, is a far cry from the Plain Jane that is Hermione.

And Grint, 14, possesses a certain vulnerable goofiness that will probably win him many admirers in time to come.

When asked if fame has affected their love lives, the three looked at one another sheepishly.

Radcliffe said: 'I am flattered by fan letters, it's really amazing. But I don't have a girlfriend or anything.'

Grint added hastily: 'Me too, yeah.'

Watson giggled: 'Yeah, cool.'

All three agreed that shooting the Harry Potter series was a fun and valuable experience they would not have traded for anything else.

Watson said: 'When you take away all the press stuff, special effects and all the pretty stuff, it all comes down to the acting. That's kind of like the best thing for me about these films.'

Now that's a pretty cool answer.