Dan's schooling/ London Premiere

[GulPlum]

Richelle wrote:

<snip>

> Here is where I disagree.  For one thing, Daniel's parents are 
working very
> hard to give him a "normal" life.  As normal as possible while being
> possibly the most recognized 13 year old on the planet.  Going to a 
real
> school with real students is part of that.  Sitting at home hours a 
day with
> private tutors is not remotely "normal" for a thirteen year old 
boy.  

I agree entirely, 100%. Hence my comment that they would prefer him 
to go to school rather than be tutored at home. The thing is, though, 
that spending only half of the year at school is hardly "normal", is 
it? :-) 

If PoA goes into production in Feb/March (I would expect them to 
delay getting Dan involved on a full-time basis until after the 
Easter break in mid-March) and repeats the previous movies' Main Unit 
schedule of about 8 months, he won't get back to school until after 
Christmas. That's two school years already interrupted (2002/2003 and 
2003/2004), plus he'll be needed towards the end of production in 
2005, which will again eat into his school life. Simply put, I don't 
see his parents agreeing to the same thing happening again for his 
next school year, which is going to be a very important one. 

> As for
> the expense involved, I really don't think that's an issue.   :)  

Oh, indeed. :-) His parents are far from poor (though you wouldn't 
know it from the appearance of their house, which by a series of 
strange coincidences, I had identified to me, and had to walk past 
several times a week last year) :-) but they'd still not consider 
paying for a private school which he doesn't attend to be entirely 
rational. :-) 

> Now, on to other things, the London Premiere.

> I watched most of what's on the HP website, I love that they talked 
to the
> "lesser" stars, like those who play Dudley, Seamus and so on.  I 
must've not
> seen it all (ran out of time!) as I never did see them talk to 
Rupert.  And
> I'm sure they did.

He was particularly unimpressive. Actually, Rupert makes a very poor 
interviewee - having been asked *exactly* the same questions so many 
times, he's got his answers down pat. Unlike Dan, he doesn't pretend 
as if the interviewer has just asked something very deep, original 
and inspired, and just gives his (mainly monosyllabic) answers in a 
bored monotone. He does his utmost to bring up the issue of slugs, 
though. :-)

The best interview was with Tom Felton, whom I did not recognise *at 
all*. He's had the time for his natural hair colour to come through 
and has cut it quite short. He also seemed a lot more at ease than he 
did last year. 

> I must say, the pen comment was too cute.
> Worrying about taking someone's pen.  :)

Which I think sums Daniel up as a person quite well, actually. I am 
extremely jealous of him. Not the fame, money or adulation, and not 
even the talent (which I remain to be convinced is actually there!) 
but the fact that despite all the hoop-la, he has remained, for want 
of a better word, a "good boy". And despite everything, that he 
continues to treat this experience as "just a bit of fun", which is 
*exactly* the way a kid his age should treat it.

Incidentally, one thing I found particularly surprising was the lack 
of A-list celebs attending the event. And where on earth was Jonathan 
Ross (who, for non-Brits, apart from being the BBC's resident film 
critic, has several other TV and radio shows, not to mention a family 
of his own who are all Potterholics)? I'll never forget the PS/SS 
interview he did with Dan for his film show, during which it wasn't 
quite clear who was more star-struck (and ended with Dan saying "it 
was very nice to meet you"). :-)