Harrison Ford Unwittingly Inspired Daniel Radcliffe's Post-Potter Career Path

It's impossible not to love Daniel Radcliffe. While he broke onto the scene with the career- and life-defining role of Harry Potter, Radcliffe has never rested on the laurels of being one of the most famous actors in history. In the years post-Potter, Radcliffe has actively chosen to star in a slew of challenging theatrical productions like "Equus" and a frenzy of odd films like playing a farting corpse in "Swiss Army Man" and the titular role in the upcoming biopic of Weird Al Yankovic. 

Radcliffe has remained a generational favorite for his willingness to denounce the hate-mongering bigot who made him a household name, but mostly because he's dedicated his career to playing a bunch of total weirdos we can't help but love. Radcliffe will be the first to admit that his early success is what has afforded him the freedom to be selective with his projects, a similar path followed by "Harry Potter" co-star and face of the "Twilight" franchise, Robert Pattinson.

GQ recently did a profile on "the weird and wonderful Daniel Radcliffe," talking with the man himself and many of his co-stars about his career and all of the fascinating creative choices he's made over the years. As Gary Oldman, who played Sirius Black in the "Potter" series noted, Radcliffe had the ability to do whatever he wanted as an actor at a very young age, something that "most actors work most of their career to get." Sure, there will always be people that see him as Harry Potter, but it's that immediate recognition that meant Radcliffe would never have to worry about taking a role "for a paycheck."

"I had this awareness that people expected we would do nothing after 'Potter' — that we would fade away," Radcliffe said in the profile. "I really wanted that not to be the case, because I knew that I loved it, and I wanted to do whatever I have to do to have a career with longevity." Someone that he looked toward for inspiration was Harrison Ford, a man who has two starring roles (Han Solo and Indiana Jones, obviously) with legacies that outlive anyone involved in either film franchise. At the same time, Ford is also synonymous with his roles as Dr. Richard Kimble in "The Fugitive" and Rick Deckard in the "Blade Runner" films. Radcliffe wanted to follow a similar trajectory, and it's safe to say he's well on his way.

Evan Rachel Wood, who plays alongside Radcliffe in the Weird Al biopic as Madonna has also been acting for most of her life, and feels an immediate kinship with the actor. "There's always a strange understanding between adults who were child stars — when we met, I looked at him and said, 'Oh yeah, somebody else who grew up with the circus,'" she said. "But because he's a real actor, he's been able to make that transition because he's not just going after more fame or more status; he can go off the beaten path." 

While Ford has never chosen roles quite as bizarre as Radcliffe's (unless we're counting voicing Rooster in "The Secret Life of Pets 2"), it's clear that his post-Han Solo/post-Indy life has inspired the next generation of movie stars in ways he likely never realized.