The stars of the Harry Potter films all started their careers relatively young and unknown, but they were the faces of the franchise by the time Evanna Lynch came onto the scene. First appearing as Luna Lovegood in 2007’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Lynch was a huge fan of the franchise even before joining its cast. Naturally, she was excited and nervous to meet her costars, just as any dedicated fan would be.
Speaking with CinemaBlend, Lynch talked about her experience. She admitted to being “intimidated” by her costars, but Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) welcomed her with open arms:
"Emma was always so nice to me and made an effort to get to know me and make me feel at home, which was a huge deal coming from her. And because I was such a big Harry Potter fan, I was very nervous around those three and intimidated by them. And I used to be in the car on the way to set, kind of rehearsing conversations I’d have with them. And obviously, the conversations never worked out like that. I was so nervous. So, I just remember her being really kind and making a lot of effort to make me feel at home."
Many have been in similar situations before (albeit with less famous coworkers) and it’s always a comfort to have someone welcome you into their already-formed circle. It also mirrors how Harry and his friends welcomed Luna into their group despite her eccentric personality. In any case, Lynch portrayed Luna’s off-kilter confidence so well that her nerves never showed onscreen.
And Lynch’s experience working on the films didn’t change her fandom, either. In fact, she’s stayed involved with the fanbase, collaborating with Universal Studios during the openings of its Wizarding World theme parks and attending conventions long after some of her costars moved on to other projects. That speaks volumes about her time on set, and give fans yet another reason to appreciate the casting for these adaptations, even all these years later.
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