Daniel Radcliffe, the 17-year-old star of Harry Potter, has defended his nude appearance in a revival of Peter Shaffer's 1973 play Equus, saying his role would be "rubbish" if he didn't bare all.
Radcliffe, who confessed that he hit the gym to tone up for the revealing role in the play staged recently in Britain, insists he has no problem stripping for a role on stage if it helps his performance.
"I'm fine about it. Equus is an iconic play and the nude scene is part of it. I can't do it with my pants on ... that would be rubbish. We've done the scene a couple of times in rehearsal. I had no particular qualms. There's nothing that would stop me getting my kit off if that's what the work demands," Radcliffe was quoted as saying by contactmusic.com.
"The key to serious acting is to lose your inhibitions, to become free and fearless. I feel okay about my body. Not totally of course, but no one my age does... but I've gone to the gym to make sure. And many of the actors I admire like Gary Oldman have gone naked."