Daniel Radcliffe and 'Harry Potter' Stars, Then and Now

July 6, 2011 — -- It started out as fun and games. But as the story's grown darker, "Harry Potter" stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have grown up.

The stars of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2," the final installment of the fantasy film franchise that hits theaters July 15, are far removed from the cute kids who took theaters by storm in 2001. Ten years have passed since that first "Potter" movie. Now, in real life, Harry Potter is a recovering drinker, Herimone Granger is a glamour girl, and Ron Weasley is a budding indie film star.

Ahead of the final "Potter" film, check out how the three major players have changed before audiences' eyes:

Though he possesses magic powers on screen, Radcliffe isn't immune to the pressures of Hollywood. In the latest issue of GQ magazine, the 21-year-old actor revealed that he developed an unhealthy relationship with alcohol after rocketing to fame. (In 2010, Vanity Fair cited Radcliffe's annual haul as $41 million.)

"I became so reliant on [alcohol] to enjoy stuff," Radcliffe said. "There were a few years there when I was just so enamored with the idea of living some sort of famous person's lifestyle that really isn't suited to me."

Radcliffe said his drinking became a major issue on the set of 2009's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Luckily, photographers didn't catch him in a compromising position.

"I really got away with that because there were many instances when a paparazzi shot like that could have been taken," he said.

Radcliffe decided to get clean in 2010. Sobriety has helped his relationship with his girlfriend, British socialite Olive Uniacke.

"I'm actually enjoying the fact that I can have a relationship with my girlfriend where I'm really pleasant and not f**ked up totally all the time," he said.

Despite his personal struggles, the West London native has built an impressive resume beyond the "Potter" franchise.

In 2002, he appeared as a guest in the London production of Kenneth Branagh's "The Play What I Wrote." He stripped down and won critical acclaim as a horse-obsessed stable boy in the 2007 revival of "Equus." He added another notch to his Broadway belt with "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," in which he currently stars.

Watson transformed into Hermione Granger at age 9 with no acting experience save for school plays. Thus far, it's been the role of a lifetime.

Watson first branched out from Harry Potter in 2007, starring in the BBC TV movie "Ballet Shoes." She went on to voice the character of Princess Pea in the 2008 animated comedy "The Tale of Despereaux."

Fashion and beauty have taken her away from the screen. The Parisian born star has modeled for high profile lines including Burberry and Lancome. She's also developed clothing for the fair trade fashion label People Tree. Her projects combined brought in $30 million in 2009, according to Vanity Fair, making her one of the richest stars in young Hollywood.

Despite her fame and fortune, Watson wanted to take a break from the industry for college. But after 18 months at Brown University, she realized the school wasn't for her.

"I was in denial," the 21-year-old actress told the U.K.'s Sunday Times Style Magazine recently about her decision to drop out. "I wanted to pretend I wasn't as famous as I was. I was trying to seek out normality, but I kind of have to accept who I am, the position I'm in and what happened."

His quirky expression and mop of red hair keep his boyish appeal intact, but 22-year-old Grint has made moves to ensure he'll still be a force in the acting world well into his adult years. He hasn't banked as much money as his co-stars -- in 2007, Forbes cited his annual earnings as $4 million -- and he's taking risks.

After appearing in the first "Potter" flick, Grint made inroads into comedy with the 2002 British film "Thunderpants." He took a more serious turn in the 2006 coming-of-age story "Driving Lessons," in which he acted alongside Laura Linney. Grint opted for a further departure from Harry Potter with the 2008 thriller "Cherrybomb," playing a bad boy who stops at nothing to get the girl he covets.

His 2010 comedy "Wild Target" was a critical and commercial flop, but that hasn't stopped Grint from pursuing non-"Potter" projects. He stars in the low-budget Norwegian WWII-era film "Comrade," slated for a 2012 release.