EW: You were 11 when you were cast as Harry Potter, who was already a global phenom. Did you feel pressure?
Dan: If I had been older and slightly more self-aware about the following that Harry had, I would have been slightly more intimidated. Ignorance and confidence of youth- it's enough to transcend that.

EW: How did you go about creating Harry? And how has your perception changed over the years?
Dan: In the beginning, creating the character was all about the costume and the look. That's how people thought of him. In terms of what I did to prepare, it wasn't very much: Just learn the lines. I'm aware now that there are so many different ways to play any one line.

EW: What makes Harry interesting for you to play?
Dan: That he is not perfect. He's capable of being quite arrogant, quite stubborn, pigheaded, and a little bit selfish. He can make himself something of a martyr when he really doesn't have to. All those characteristics are wonderful because it separates Harry from the archetypical superheroes that you so often get in children's literature.

EW: Has J. K. Rowling offered you advice on playing Harry since the first film?
Dan: I did ask her for some advice on the fifth film. I talked to her about Harry's emergence as the leader of Dumbledore's Army. She said that it was very important because it's the first time we see Harry be a leader, and eventually he's going to have to lead large numbers of people.

EW: If you could have spent your adolescence playing any other character, who would it be?
Dan: I was always unbelievably jealous of Tobey Maguire playing Spider-Man. I do think Spidey is the coolest of superheroes.