evannafan.com

The Basics
Full Name: Evanna Lynch
Harry Potter Character: Luna Lovegood
Birthday: August 16
Astrological Sign: Leo
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde

Q&A

How do you feel ‘Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince’ differs from the earlier movies?

Although it has such a great balance of light and dark, I feel that the overall tone is much heavier. Throughout the first five books there is this constant threat of danger and of Voldemort’s showing up at any odd moment. Because of this, Harry maintains his fighting spirit and instills that in others.

However, at the end of ‘Order of the Phoenix’, that element of knowledge vanishes when Dumbledore unveils the prophecy to Harry. It becomes fact to Harry that whether he likes it or not, he has to kill or be killed by Voldemort. Other than that the book is different because Ron and Hermione finally start playing up the drama, which they really should have done five books ago!

Are there specific traits that you admire about your Harry Potter character?

Yes, many. I think she is a very balanced, well-rounded person and far wiser than her age would imply. I love her detachment, how she never needs approval from other people. She is not coky, nor is she insecure, but just comfortable enough in her own mind not to let others’ opinions affect her judgement. She listens to her own heart.

What elements of your Harry Potter character have proven most challenging to play?

I think that would just be her consistent positivity. It’s hard to accept that someone can be so adjusted to life and its problems, and to deatht oo. During the filming of ‘Order of the Phoenix’ … I had trouble in the Ministry scenes where she had to be terrified of the Death Eaters. I couldn’t see her terror when the worst thing that could happen to her was death. But we resolved it by saying the terror she felt was for her friends’ lives.

What experienced have you drawn from in creating your character?

I think I’ve had to learn to be more detached. I am sensitive and when you spend your time desperately seeking others’ approval, you always end up getting hurt and then worse off. Being in the public eye and knowing other people will judge you a lot has made me lean to only every rely on what I think of what I am doing.

As an actor, does being strongly associated with your Harry Ptoter ever present professional challenges?

Not so far, no. But I definitely don’t call myself an “actor”. I do want to act more, but I was in Harry Potter first and am grateful for everything I’ve got from it. I find it only opens doors for me.

How do you feel now when you watch the earlier Harry Potter movies? Does viewing the earlier films ever affect your current performance?

Honestly, no. Luna wasn’t part of those stories and there’s nothing in them that makes me have to change her to fit. I grew up watching them before filming Luna, so whether they affected my thinking on a subconscious level I can’t be sure. I’m glad there are four other films where I can watch and enjoy as a fan again!

Is there a particular acting challenge or story element that you are looking forward to dealing with in ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’?

I think it will be Malfoy Manor, as that is quit a frightening experience for Luna and she has to show a lot of her Gryffindor side (yes, I do believe everyone has a Gryffindor side!) and take responsibility in ways she hasn’t really had to do on her own before. It’s a real test for her and I am still am not quite sure how she will go about it … and I am excited to discover!

The Harry Potter movies often involve special effects. Is it hard to act against a green screen?

It certainly is odd. You go on set all ready for the scene to take off, but that just can’t happen when you’re surrounded by blinding acid green colour and there’s a man brandishing a pole with a big red X right next to you. It is quite off-putting. However, it’s just one of those things where you have to totally detach yourself from everyone around you who’s laughing at the way you’re gazing lovingly at a metal pole. You just go into your own world, like when you were seven years old, and make what you imagine real.

As an actor, what types of art do you find inspire you? Paintings? Novels? Classic films? Theatre?

Everything! I couldn’t limit myself to just one form of art. You never know and can’t help what you’re inspired by; I want to see all of it! Films, books, they all do it. I think dancing and movement are my passions, though.

If you could play a different Harry Potter character, which one would it be? Why?

Dumbledore! I love him! He’s not unlike Luna in many ways … But Dumbledore is different in that he has so many worries and struggles that in a way make him more human. I think I would enjoy the challenge of trying to create a balance between his quirky detachedness and serene wisdom. Plus, I love his robes!

Evanna Finished the Sentence

If I weren’t an actor …. I’d be in school right now! But no, I would be a dancer. I want to keep acting, but I think I’d like to make dancing my career … it changes every week, though …

My most challenging scene in the Harry Potter films to date was … the Ministry stuff. Green screens and SFX – it’s hard not to feel foolish screaming, “Stupefy!” at thin air!

My favourite moment shooting ‘Half Blood Prince’ was … one of the Great Hall days, on Valentine’s Day. People were bored waiting around on set, so Alfie (Enoch, who plays Dean Thomas) and Afshan (Azad, who plays Padma Patil) got out a laptop and learned the “Thriller” routine from Youtube and proceeded to teach the rest of the cast. That was something to see!

Source: ‘Half Blood Prince’ poster books pages one and two

At 17, Irish actress Evanna Lynch is already famous for two things — for starring in the epic Harry Potter films, and for being such a huge fan of the original books that the casting directors almost had no choice but to pick her for the role of Luna Lovegood.

Since being cast in the Warner Bros. blockbuster films, her life has been a rollercoaster ride of filming and red carpet openings. This month she left her hometown of Drogheda, County Louth to promote the latest Potter film (“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” which opens around the world next month) across all the main hotspots of Europe. Is she anxious?

“No, I can’t wait! I think I’ll attend premieres in Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Poland and other places,” Lynch tells the Irish Voice and IrishCentral, her voice brimming with enthusiasm.

“I’ll be traveling with Bonnie Wright (who plays Ginny Weasley) and Matt Lewis (who plays Neville Longbottom).”

Stardom, when it comes early, can turn a young person’s head, but Lynch sounds remarkably collected and wise beyond her years.

“My life really hasn’t changed as much as you’d imagine. I mean, more people recognize you, and in Ireland that’s especially true because it’s so small. Over there everyone knows you,” she says.

“But people in Ireland enjoy their famous actors, their claims to fame, but I don’t think they get too fazed by it, you know? My family and friends are exactly the same as they were, and life is normal. I’m still working away, still doing my Leaving Cert (high school finals) and all that, you know?”

In case anyone’s under the impression that filming the biggest movie of the summer is just an endless lark, Lynch has news.

“We have school tutors on the set and we have to do three hours a day minimum with them. Everyone in my school thinks that makes me lucky but it’s not true at all,” she says.

“It’s one to one tutoring, so it’s quite intense, and they really make sure we get our tutoring in. It’s kind of hard to combine the tutoring with the film work. It’s hard to focus on both sometimes.”

In the role of Luna Lovegood, one of the most beloved characters in the whole Harry Potter universe, Lynch is a natural. Her slightly otherworldly face and manner are the perfect compliment to the eccentric character she plays.

“Luna doesn’t change but her position changes in this new film. Most people are aware of her reputation for being crazy. She’s certainly picked on by the other students,” Lynch says.

“As in any school people are reluctant to be close to that kind of person. Or to be seen to be close to her. But Harry is a lot more comfortable with himself in this film. He’s not as conscious of what people think of him or he just doesn’t care now.

“He accepts Luna and he calls her a friend and she’s thrilled. She helps Harry to see sense when he gets caught up in his struggles. She reminds him who he is.”

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” is without doubt the darkest chapter of the whole J.K. Rowling series, and in it Luna remains steadfast as both a defender of the wizarding world and as a comfort to Harry in his darkest hour. Lynch says the new film remains faithful to the book and her character.

“Luna seems small and young and not noted for being brave, and yet she is. She’s really calm though, she doesn’t get surprised by anything, and she accepts people’s differences,” Lynch says.

“In fact J.K. Rowling told me as a character she’s the most adjusted to the idea of death in the whole series. That cuts out a lot of fear for her. She tries to impress it on Harry. She’ll take it as it comes.”

As for her own future post-Harry Potter, Lynch is resolved she wants to continue to act.

“I’m completely fascinated by the theater. I love going to the West End to see the shows. It’s acting without all the hype attached to it. Actors are given more fee reign, you know?” she says.

“I just love watching one person on a stage holding the whole audience captivated. Whereas in film you’re very protected, you can mess up, you have that freedom and you can always ask to do it again.”

Between Potter films Lynch returns to her normal life in Drogheda and a hint of normality before the process starts all over again.

“I like Ireland and I have loads of friends there, but I think I want to move to London when I’m older because there’s a lot more to do and I do find it more freeing,” she says.

“I think in Ireland a lot of the time I feel boxed in. In Ireland you really have to break out to do acting, but in England — and in London in particular — it’s more accepted. Anything can happen there. You can never be bored.

“But Ireland is nice to come back to, too. We live in the country here and you feel so detached from the world, and that’s quite nice.”

The process of filming and the role she plays have taught Lynch some surprising lessons, too.

“I think Luna is very sure of herself and comfortable with who she is, whereas I am more like most people in that I can get preoccupied with what people think of me. I worry about that when really it doesn’t matter because that’s just someone else’s perception, you know? Luna inspires me to not let it affect me as much,” Lynch says.

“The best part of this experience has been meeting the people who were idols. That has been great because they are amazing people and they do achieve so much though working so hard. But they’re so normal as well and they don’t have airs and you see all sides of them.

“I used to be afraid to appear on the film set because I felt I was not ready and what would I do, you know? But I learned that they don’t expect you to be perfect, and that was a great thing to learn. Just to be a part of the film is thrilling, because I’ve always been a huge fan of the books, and now I can say I did my part for it.”

Asked is there any part of the whole experience she has never told anyone about before, Lynch demurs before confessing.

“Maybe I shouldn’t say this, because it might get me in trouble. But there’s this big thing among people who are fans of the books. It’s a thing they do as fans called ‘shipping,’ which is short for relationship.

“The fans create ideal pair-ups based on the books. There are some really crazy ones. I don’t know if I should say.

“But some people think Luna and Professor Dumbledore would make a great pair in another universe. I mean obviously he’s far too old for her, but their personalities completely match. They’re calm and accepting and quirky and I think they’re both really creative. I’d say they’d be fun together.”

Source: Irish Central