HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Actor Daniel Radcliffe has revealed that he suffers from a mild form of dyspraxia, a brain disorder that can impair the organization of movement.
"Thankfully his condition is very mild and at worst manifests itself in an inability to tie his shoe laces and bad handwriting," the "Harry Potter" star's rep told the U.K.'s Daily Telegraph.
In severe cases, the neurological problem can trigger difficulties in walking up or down stairs or evening kicking a ball. Radcliffe says having the condition actually triggered his career because his mother wanted to boost his confidence, so she finally allowed him to start going on auditions.
"I was having a hard time at school in terms of being crap at everything," the 19-year-old explained to the Daily Star.
A leading authority on dyspraxia, Dr. David Younger of the New York University Medical School, told the Telegraph that he was "surprised" the London native, who will soon make his Broadway debut in "Equus," has the condition.
"He clearly suffers from a mild form, but the fact he shows no sign of it at all is a great tribute to his acting skills and makes him a role model for other people with this condition," said Younger.
Radcliffe, who will star in the franchise's sixth installment, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," next year, apparently takes it all in stride.
"He jokes that he can now afford to hire someone to tie his shoelaces for him," a friend of the actor told the Star.
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