In a recent Vanity Fair lie detector interview with his Merrily We Roll Along co-stars Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez, Daniel Radcliffe took on the swirling rumors from the internet rumor mill. Specifically, he addressed the fervent fan speculation regarding his potential portrayal of Wolverine, complete with spandex and retractable claws.
While Radcliffe has long been a fan-favorite fantastic for the role once held by Hugh Jackman, the rumors gained momentum when he revealed his newfound muscles in the season 4 finale of Miracle Workers earlier this year.
Radcliffe firmly denied any involvement in sparking the rumor, humorously stating, “No, I did not start the rumor.” When asked whether he had embarked on a fitness journey for no apparent reason, Radcliffe quipped, “Yes, I got buff because I am obsessive, and I want to… You’ve seen my parents. They’re like insane fitness people,” he added, “So that’s just been passed on. But no. No Wolverine. Flattered, but no.”
Daniel Radcliffe Rejects Speculation About Portraying Wolverine (Credits: Wire Image)
During the conversation, Radcliffe also admitted to occasionally Googling himself. When pressed by Groff to share the weirdest story he’d come across, Radcliffe recounted, “There’s a lot of shipping of Harry and Draco [Malfoy] as characters together.” He continued, “What’s the weirdest story that I’ve read about myself? That I had the [UK Special Air Service] walk my dogs.
I had special beer brewed for myself by monks in a monastery in Belgium. I used to get my assistant to hold my scripts in the mirror so I could read them while I was having makeup done — even though that doesn’t make sense because I wouldn’t be able to read mirror writing. There’s a long list.”
Notably, Radcliffe paused the interview to explain the concept of “shipping” to Groff, who appeared unfamiliar with the term despite Radcliffe’s extensive experience as the star of a billion-dollar franchise.
Regarding the future of Wolverine, Hugh Jackman is set to reprise the role in Deadpool 3, following his initial retirement of the character in 2017’s Logan. As for the X-Men’s integration into the Marvel Cinematic Universe post-Disney’s acquisition of Fox, the details remain shrouded in mystery.
Marvel mastermind Kevin Feige hinted at ongoing plans but remained tight-lipped, stating, “The question is how to do it and when to do it. That’s something we’ve been working on for years. Now we know. But we’re not going to talk about it.”
