In “Every Brilliant Thing,” which opened on Broadway on March 12, 2026, Daniel Radcliffe reveals an entirely new side of himself. The actor, who found worldwide fame as Harry Potter, has followed his stint in the J.K. Rowling series with an eclectic array of roles including “The Woman in Black,” “Escape from Pretoria,” and “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” on the big screen and “Equus,” “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” and more on stage. In 2024, he won a Tony Award for his role in the Stephen Sondheim musical, “Merrily We Roll Along.”
He now brings Duncan Macmillan’s highly acclaimed play about mental health and resilience to Broadway. “Every Brilliant Thing” is a one-man show where exchanges with audience members are woven into the script. Radcliffe is already in the theater when the doors open, talking to ticket holders and giving instructions. With as passionate a fanbase as his, this could be a recipe for disaster, but the actor handles even the most starstruck fans with kindness and grace, all while maintaining his boundaries.
The play is the story of a young man who makes a list of “brilliant” things for his chronically depressed mother as a way of showing her the beauty in the world. As the play unfolds, his own struggles start to surface even as the list grows exponentially, aided by submissions from friends and acquaintances.
Radcliffe’s performance is dazzling in its simplicity. There are no theatrics—he speaks in a naturalistic style and finds a connection with the audience. His openness and compassion are apparent, and the audience responds in kind. The play is clever and uses the audience interactions seamlessly and at key points—and Radcliffe is a master at guiding his many “cast mates” through their assignments so that they serve the intent of the piece. The play works best when the audience members deliver the material straightforwardly and don’t try to become scene partners to Radcliffe.
While the play’s themes and premise are admittedly dark, Macmillan also injects humor into the script, which Radcliffe handles deftly. The material may be heavy, but the script is not, and ultimately, the play is as much about hope and resilience as it is about depression. As a child, Radcliffe had the uncanny ability to embody both vulnerability and bravery all at once, showing his skill as an actor. In “Every Brilliant Thing,” he finds a way to deliver difficult material with an upbeat tone, leaving the audience with a satisfying evening of theater.
“Every Brilliant Thing” doesn’t run from darkness but instead finds the light within it. Radcliffe never overplays the emotion; he lets the quiet moments land. It takes an enormous amount of trust in the audience to take on a play with this much interaction—and it is the mark of a mature actor, one who has grown comfortable with his own power and relationship with his fans. The show is a beautiful reminder of the small joys that make life feel worthwhile, even in its heaviest moments.
It was recently announced that Radcliffe will depart “Every Brilliant Thing” on May 24 and that Mariska Hargitay will take over the role. It will be interesting to see how the show changes with a completely new actor, albeit one with a huge fan base of her own.
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