Harry Potter is on a roll. Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the boy wizard in the money spinning series, will slip into the military shoes of Rudyard Kipling's son in
My Boy Jack, an ITV1 First World War drama, based on a play written by David Haig. Haig plays Rudyard Kipling in
My Boy Jack.
Based on a true story,
My Boy Jack is about Jack Kipling, the son of
The Jungle Book author who through his clout in the political circles, had his son enlisted in the Irish Guards in spite of his poor eyesight and then lost him to the Battle of Loos in September 1915. A search for the boy's body bore no fruit and drove a wedge between Kipling and his wife. In real life, the boy's name was John and Kipling spent his final two decades searching for him. In the process, the author expressed his regret for his stance in a poem where he wrote of the soldiers, 'If any question why we died/ Tell them, because our fathers lied'.
Calling the drama a 'moving and powerful story' of 'duty, sacrifice, bravery, and horror of war', Radcliffe said he took on the role because of its relevance to what's happening today. “Young men are still going off to fight in wars from which many will never return. For many people my age, the first world war is just a topic in a history book. But, I've always been fascinated by the subject and I think it's as relevant today as it ever was, with young men still sacrificing their lives in the name of war,” he said.
Earlier, Radcliffe made news when he accepted a role in a West End theatrical production
Equus, a Peter Shaffer drama about a mentally disturbed boy that contains frontal nudity. For one scene, Radcliffe is required to strip down and simulate masturbation while riding a horse. The 17-year-old actor, who reprises his popular role in
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, seems keen on doing serious roles.
According to Radcliffe,
My Boy Jack is a tribute to soldiers. “I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like in the trenches, living amongst the stench of death and knowing that at any moment it may be your last. But, I think it's important we try to imagine the horrors these young men experienced and to never forget them. I only hope I can do justice to the memory of the men who fought and those who died,” he said.
Filming for
My Boy Jack begins sometime next year.
