Daniel Radcliffe visits 'Today' show, talks 'Kill Your Darlings'

Daniel Radcliffe, who once dropped trou for for 2007's West End production of "Equus, is still experimenting with a myriad of post-"Potter" acting roles. The 24-year-old Brit has had a trio of films to promote this year, as well as the TV miniseries, "Young Doctor's Notebook," co-starring Jon Hamm.

During a visit to the "Today" show Monday, Radcliffe discussed his work on "Kill Your Darlings," in which he plays mid-century beat poet Allen Ginsberg.

"Shooting a period film of that era in New York is just an excuse to walk around in really cool clothes," Radcliffe told Savannah Guthrie. "That style has become incredibly cool again."

When asked about the film's gay love scene, Radcliffe said he wasn't surprised by the media attention.

"I would be a very stupid person if I didn't expect some reaction to that," he said. "In a way there's been less reaction to it than I thought there would be which I'm quite pleased about, a lot of people are choosing to be focused on the film."

"And to be honest, I don't really mind what reasons people go in to see the film," he said. "If they're slightly salacious or whatever. Ultimately, they're going to go in and see a really compelling drama."

Radcliffe told "Today" that he chooses roles in the interest of variety. But there's something else at play.

The subject of a lengthy profile in this week's New York Times Magazine, the young actor said he has a "massive chip on his shoulder" about proving that he can really act, which might account for his choice of film roles and heavy work load.

When you fall into something at age 11 and get paid incredible amounts of money for your entire teenage years for doing a job anyone would want, there is a part of you that thinks everybody is just saying, "He got there because he fell into it; he’s not really an actor."

“I feel it less nowadays,” he said. “It has taken a long time to feel like I’ve earned the place that I’m at.”

"Kill Your Darlings" opens October 16.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy