Bye, Bye Harry Potter! Daniel Radcliffe Talks Gay Love Scene in Kill Your Darlings: Watch

"I would be a very stupid person if I didn't expect some reaction to that," he says of the man-on-man action in the John Krokidas-directed film

By Alyssa Toomey Sep 30, 2013 10:07 PMTags

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Many fans may still think of Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, but it's clear the 23-year-old star has put his time at Hogwarts in the past.

Not only did the actor famously strip down onstage for the West End production of the psychosexual drama Equus in 2007, but he also has a gay sex scene in his upcoming flick, Kill Your Darlings, in which he plays the late Beat poet Allen Ginsberg.

Radcliffe opened up about the headline-making man-on-man action in the forthcoming flick on the Today show Monday morning, admitting he was "not surprised" by the attention the steamy scene has garnered.

Ralph, PacificCoastNews.com

"I would be a very stupid person if I didn't expect some reaction to that," he confessed. "In a way there's been less reaction to it than I thought there would be which I'm quite pleased about, a lot of people are choosing to be focused on the film."

"And to be honest, I don't really mind what reasons people go in to see the film," he added. "If they're slightly salacious or whatever. Ultimately, they're going to go in and see a really compelling drama."

The John Krokidas-directed film, which most recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival, centers on a murder in 1944 that brings together the great poets of the Beat generation, including Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston) and William S. Burroughs (Ben Foster).

And despite the premise of the movie being a complete departure from Harry Potter, Radcliffe insists he's not trying to distance himself from the franchise that made him famous—and is only trying to make himself grow as an actor.

Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images for Maserati

"Yes, but at the same time I don't know what I could have done that would have been similar to Harry, unless I'd signed up immediately for another young adult fantasy series," he explained when asked if he tries to seek out roles to separate himself from Harry Potter. "I think now, the thing is, I don't just want to not repeat Harry Potter but I also don't want to repeat the Woman In Black or now Kill Your Darlings. I think any actor that really enjoys what they do and wants to have a long career realizes that versatility and you know stretching yourself, it's more fun that way to be honest."

Smart guy. But while Daniel may have a desire to do more Indie flicks, the British hunk's fanbase certainly won't let him forget about his Harry Potter past.

"It was very intense," he says of his fans at the Venice Film Festival. "Also we've never done any Potter publicity over there through the 10 years, so it was kind of like ten pent-up years of excitement. It was great, they're a passionate people, there was a lot of crying, which I always find tricky to deal with, but it was good."

Kill Your Darlings hits theaters Oct. 16.