Daniel Radcliffe Says Being a New Dad Is 'Terrifying' Yet 'Awesome': 'Best Thing That's Ever Happened'

Daniel Radcliffe welcomed his first child, a son, with girlfriend Erin Darke in the spring

Daniel Radcliffe poses at the opening night of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along on Broadway at The Hudson Theater on October 8, 2023 in New York City.
Daniel Radcliffe at the opening night of Broadway's Merrily We Roll Along in New York City on Oct. 8, 2023. Photo:

Bruce Glikas/WireImage

Daniel Radcliffe is loving fatherhood!

On Monday, the 34-year-old Harry Potter alum opened up about parenting life as of late since welcoming his son with girlfriend Erin Darke in the spring.

Speaking to E! News on Sunday amid the opening night of his show Merrily We Roll Along on Broadway, Radcliffe revealed that parenthood is both “terrifying” and “awesome.”

"He's great, it's amazing," Radcliffe said. "There's a short answer and a long answer to that. And the short answer is it's awesome and he's the best thing that's ever happened."

He added, "It's frankly terrifying to have a human being in the world that I care this much about.”

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Erin Darke and Daniel Radcliffe attend a screening of The Lost City at the Whitby Hotel on March 14, 2022 in New York City.
Erin Darke and Daniel Radcliffe in New York City on March 14, 2022.

Arturo Holmes/WireImage

The actor went on to explain that everything his son ends up doing will affect how Radcliffe feels "about my [own] life for the rest of my life. So, you know, that's intimidating."

He also told E! News that he and his son have no correlation in their snoozing habits. "The less I sleep, the more I sleep at night,” Radcliffe said. “But the less [babies] sleep, the less they sleep! And the more they sleep, the better they sleep!”

“It makes no sense, but it is apparently how they work,” the new dad added.

Radcliffe joked that despite there being a “creature” with the ability to “give you the worst night of your life," he forgets it all in the morning when “they turn around and smile and you're like, 'I don't care about any of the things you just did.' That's pretty cool."

Daniel Radcliffe and Erin Darke join the picket line In New York City on July 21, 2023 in New York City
Daniel Radcliffe, Erin Darke and their baby son in New York City on July 21, 2023.

John Nacion/Getty

The Miracle Workers actor revealed to Entertainment Tonight back in July ahead of his show's season 4 premiere that he and Darke, 39, had welcomed a baby boy in the spring.

"It's great. It's crazy and intense, but he's wonderful and Erin is amazing — it's a real privilege also to have this time with him," Radcliffe told the outlet. "I was always going to take some time off, which not everyone is able to do, and so I'm able to kind of just be here with him a lot, which is lovely."

Later that month, Radcliffe gave a glimpse of his son when he took part in a New York City picket line to support SAG-AFTRA, composed of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The father of one’s baby was placed in a carrier on his chest, while Darke held on to a strike sign.

In July, SAG-AFTRA went on strike after failed contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). However, negotiations will be continued on Wednesday, according to Deadline.

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