While I don’t think anyone would argue that Daniel Radcliffe has turned out to be perfect for the once-in-a-lifetime role of Harry Potter, it’s nice to see the actor stretching himself beyond the single franchise. Proving he can be a member of the Hollywood elite, Radcliffe has beaten much more proven actors like Heath Ledger and Orlando Bloom for the role of photojournalist Dan Eldon, reports WENN.

The movie, titled Journey, will focus on the Somalian civil war. Eldon was one of four journalists who found themselves in Somalia at the time of the uprising and wound up stoned to death in 1993. The movie is based on a compilation of Eldon’s journals.

Eldon’s mother, Kathy, told the press that she felt Radcliffe was the perfect choice for the role to play her son because ”Dan was a boy emerging into manhood.” I’m not sure I’d be bragging much about that being the rationale behind the casting if I was Radcliffe, but he should welcome the opportunity to continue to build as an actor. I’ve heard good things about the briefly released December Boys, and Radcliffe’s growth over the course of the Harry Potter movies has definitely shown he has potential.