The Today Show, November 11, 2001

Katie Couric: "You must be Harry?
Daniel Radcliffe: Yes.
Katie Couric: Hi, Harry how are you?
Daniel Radcliffe: Very nice to meet you.
Katie Couric: A.K.A. Daniel Radcliffe. Do you also sometimes call each other Ron and Harry instead of Rupert and Dan?
Daniel Radcliffe: Yes.

Call it the ultimate game of make-believe a pair of wide-eyed young boys getting to run around in a $125 million playground. Come next weekend, the whole world will know them as Ron and Harry.

Katie Couric: Have you ever thought about the fact that you were leading a fairly conventional life up until age 11, and like Harry, all of a sudden your life completely changed?
Daniel Radcliffe: A lot of people say that. But actually, my life has hardly changed at all. The only difference is I go to school here instead of where I normally go to school.
Katie Couric: Are you worried that your life is going to change once this movie comes out? I mean, youll be recognized, your face is going to be on lunchboxes all over Europe. Your name might become a household name. Does that concern you? Daniel Radcliffe: Not really. I think itd be really good fun. Not at all in fact. Just let it go and enjoy it.

The search for the boy who would-be Harry Potter began almost two years ago as director Chris Columbus scoured the muggle universe for a complete unknown to play the wondrous wizard. While Daniels reportedly making close to $300,000 for the first movie, its been speculated hell rake in close to $15 million dollars if the sequels are successful. But like most 11 year olds, Daniel Radcliffe is counting his blessings, not his money.

Katie Couric: Where were you and how did you react when you got the news?
Daniel Radcliffe: I was in the bath. And my mum was just sitting there talking to me. And then my dad rushed in and told me I had the part. And then there were two reactions. The first one was I started to cry because I was so happy. And then the second one was that night, I woke up in the middle of the night, ran into my parents room at 2:00 a.m. and asked them if it was a dream because I seriously thought it was a dream. No, no its not a dream. Go back to bed, its 2:00 a.m. Go.

Like so many kids before Harry, Daniel was not an avid reader.
Daniel Radcliffe: I just found reading quite hard. I couldnt do it. I just found it hard to read.
Katie Couric: And then along came Harry Potter?
Daniel Radcliffe: I got the part and I read them all, all the Harry Potter books, loved them. And theyve really helped me branch off onto other books and really helped me to get into reading.

Daniel echoes his directors assurances that the movie has stayed faithful to the beloved book right down to Harrys owl pal and personal messenger, Hedwig.
Katie Couric: Wah-la. Here he is!

As we toured the set of Harrys dorm complete with those five four poster beds with deep red velvet curtains, we played a game of show and tell any Harry Potter fan would die for.

Katie Couric: Now whats on this bed?
Daniel Radcliffe: Ive got all my stuff.

There they were come to life right out of the books the Weasley sweater, wizard workbooks and that infamous invitation that started it all:

Dear Mr. Potter, we are pleased to inform that you have been
accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. First year
students will require three sets of work robes, one plainpointed hat for day wear.

Katie Couric: Can muggles wear them?
Daniel Radcliffe: You might be cursed.
Katie Couric: Oh, OK and one pair of dragon hide gloves. Did you get those at Harrods? Then, of course, the one thing that promises to make Harry Potter a
rising star literally.

Katie Couric: This is your most prized possession. Can I touch it?
Daniel Radcliffe: Yeah!
Katie Couric: What is this?
Daniel Radcliffe: This is the Nimbus 2000 which is the fastest broom you can buy. This makes all of Harrys friends jealous.

Both on screen, and on the set. Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe are like the three musketeers. Having met through surreal circumstances, theyve become fast friends.

Emma Watson: Rupert and I printed out loads of these things like, you know, stuff like, Pull my hair. Kick me. Im sick. We cut out like ten of them and stuck them all over Dans back without him noticing. And hed walk around for like ten minutes without noticing.

Daniel Radcliffe: And everybody would kick me.
Emma Watson: Everyone was laughing at him. And he was saying, Whats so funny? Were all going, nothing, nothing.
Katie Couric: Whats the best part about being Harry Potter?
Daniel Radcliffe: The whole experience. Ive probably met a new person every day Ive been here. And I love meeting new people. And theres always interesting people and I just want to get to know them better.
Katie Couric: Whats the worst part?
Daniel Radcliffe: There isnt one.

For Harry Potter, its been a long journey from a small cafe in Scotland where his story was first written to Leavesden Studios in London where that story came to life. And now to movie theaters all around the world. In fact, its set to play in 131 countries in 40 languages.