Mariska Hargitay Told Daniel Radcliffe: ‘I’m the Real Harry Potter’
Here’s a Wizarding World crossover no one saw coming: Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay says she once told Daniel Radcliffe that she’s the real Harry Potter — and after he heard her reason, he agreed.
@people #MariskaHargitay has the real #HarryPotter scar. 😯 #DanielRadcliffe ♬ original sound – People Magazine
The moment happened backstage at the Broadway play Every Brilliant Thing, the same one-person show Radcliffe recently earned a Tony nomination for. Hargitay is taking over the role for her Broadway debut, and the two met after one of his performances. By her account, he could not have been warmer, telling her to call if she needed anything and that she was going to be great.
Then she asked to speak with him privately. As Hargitay told PEOPLE in this week’s cover story:
“I just want you to know that I’m the real Harry Potter.”
Rather than treating it as a strange thing to say, Radcliffe was curious and simply replied, “Oh, tell me.” Hargitay then leaned over and showed him the scar on her forehead. His verdict, in her telling: “You really are. It’s a perfect Harry Potter scar.”
The scar carries deep personal history. It’s a result of the 1967 car accident that took the life of her mother, Hollywood actress Jayne Mansfield, when Mariska was just a small child. She has called the exchange with Radcliffe their “icebreaking bonding moment” — noting that not many people can credibly tell the boy who lived that they’re the real Harry Potter.
Hargitay had nothing but praise for her predecessor, describing Radcliffe as “an amazing powerhouse performer” and one of the nicest people she’s ever met. The two have stayed in touch, even sending each other videos as she settles into the role.
It’s a heartfelt reminder of how far the magic of Harry Potter reaches — sometimes connecting people in the most unexpected ways.
What do you think of Mariska’s claim to the title? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to follow along for the latest Harry Potter news.
Source: PEOPLE (exclusive cover story).
