Halloween Discussion Forums, Costumes, Horror!

Murfreesboro wrote:I Googled "Daniel Radcliffe political opinions" and came up with some stuff. He doesn't share my views on things, obviously, but I am sort of with Pumpkin on this. If I refused to see movies made by people whose political beliefs conflicted with my own, I would be left with a very short list of movies to watch! As long as the film itself is not political, I can generally give them their right to their own opinions.

The stuff I came up with (there could be more) had to do with his support of gay marriage (although he claims he is not gay, and I believe him). Also he said he is not religious, is in fact an atheist, so he is easily offended by the religious right. (I already knew he was an atheist because my daughter had Googled some stuff about him a while back. I believe he is ethnically Jewish, but doesn't follow that religion). He apparently is dismayed by some GOP political candidates who have spoken against gay rights, specifically gay marriage.

In general I do not think it is wise for an actor/singer/whatever to go to a foreign country and start making proclamations about their politics. If Radcliffe cannot vote here, I don't think it is smart of him to speak publicly about our political scene. Otherwise, though, I think he is a pretty predictable product of his milieu. He has grown up in theater and acting, primarily in England, where the theatrical community is perhaps even farther to the left than ours is. If his parents were non-practicing Jews, he probably hasn't had any religious training at all. He has hardly had a chance to be other than he is. Perhaps as he lives and learns he will revise some of his opinions. Perhaps not.

Murfreesboro wrote:Fair enough, though I don't know how to move them myself.

I don't think I've watched any TV this morning. Yesterday I was watching Season 3 of Merlin, which I bought on DVD a week or so back.

Murfreesboro wrote:I think so, too. Love Merlin. Season 4 is airing in the States right now, but we probably won't get it on DVD until Season 5 airs, I'm guessing in 2013.

I am one of the few fans who actually loved Anthony Head's Uther Pendragon (the antagonist throughout much of the series), so I was sad that he died early in the 4th season. Head is such a good actor, and I thought he gave a really nuanced performance, portraying a father who loved his kids but didn't really understand how to deal with them.

I like all the young actors, though, especially Colin Morgan as Merlin. I think he is very, very good.